It’s no secret that Shohei Ohtani has solidified himself as the biggest name in Major League Baseball. Fans wait nine hours outside Dodger Stadium for Ohtani bobbleheads, he’s put together historic seasons, and he’s already captured a World Series with the Los Angeles Dodgers. Oh, and he also pitches.
Ohtani’s presence in the Dodgers’ lineup is, without question, a valuable asset any team would desire. Currently batting .285, he’s tallied 44 home runs, 83 RBIs, a .625 slugging percentage, and a 1.018 OPS. In August alone, he’s been even better, hitting .385 with a .754 slugging and a 1.266 OPS. His bat is only half the reason the Dodgers committed $700 million to him.
But what about the other half?
After undergoing his second Tommy John surgery last season, the road back to the mound was always going to be long. The Dodgers prepared for that reality by signing Roki Sasaki and Blake Snell in the offseason to help cover Ohtani’s absence. So far, it’s been a mixed bag — Snell has struggled to find his rhythm, while Sasaki showed flashes before his own injury. And Ohtani? His return hasn’t inspired much confidence.
Can Dodgers afford to make Shohei Ohtani a one-way player, and should they?
Through 10 starts, Ohtani has logged just 27.1 innings, with the Dodgers slowly ramping up his workload. The results, however, have fallen far short of what fans had hoped for. In each of his last five outings, he’s allowed at least one run without ever pitching beyond four innings. His previous two starts — both against struggling opponents in the Angels and Rockies — saw him give up at least four runs apiece.
“He’s not going to be unleashed until the postseason,” MLB insider Buster Olney reported on the Dodgers’ plan. “Their whole progression with him has been a slow ramp-up…Dave Roberts told us, ‘It’s just not worth it.’”
Roberts has assured fans not to worry, insisting the Dodgers can repeat as World Series champions — this time with Ohtani pitching in October. But are they truly getting the most out of a player they’re paying $700 million to hit like Babe Ruth and pitch like Randy Johnson? At the plate, he’s delivered on the Ruth comparisons. On the mound, though, he’s looked closer to present-day Zac Gallen.
It’s difficult to imagine Ohtani regaining his dominant two-way form this season — mowing down hitters with immaculate pitches while eating up six or seven innings. A move to long relief might be more realistic, but can the Dodgers really justify paying a reliever $700 million?
If Ohtani flips the switch in October, this whole conversation becomes irrelevant. But if the struggles continue and his pitching never returns to form, the richest contract in MLB history may start to look like a mistake.