Grade the take: Dodgers shouldn't let Shohei Ohtani pitch again

Even though his elbow will prevent him from pitching this season, Shohei Ohtani has been on a tear at the plate in Dodger Blue. The Los Angeles Dodgers paid more than some third world countries' GDP to get him to leave the little brother Los Angeles Angels behind in free agency. For the first time in his MLB career, Ohtani feels destined for the postseason, he just may not toe the rubber anytime soon...

While trying to encapsulate all that Ohtani has done over the last six weeks or so at the plate for the Dodgers, a question was proposed during Tuesday's installment of The Dan Patrick Show. Paul Pabst suggested that with how well Ohtani has been as a hitter, should the Dodgers remove the pitching component of his game entirely, and just let him be the greatest designated hitter in baseball history?

Like Dan Patrick, I cannot get behind Pabst's take even one little bit. No, I don't think it is the worst take of all time, but the Dodgers aren't paying Ohtani upwards of $700 million over the next decade-plus for him to go bat for them roughly four times a game, six days a week for six months of the year. Every fifth day, Ohtani should be going out there and giving the Dodgers one quality start after another.

Here is the segment of The Dan Patrick Show were the idea of Ohtani never pitching was formulated.

To me, there are only two ways Ohtani never pitching again can be justified, so let me explain...

Don't be silly: Shohei Ohtani needs to pitch for the Los Angeles Dodgers

I gotta say, Patrick's take on this is spot-on. I pretty much agree with everything Patrick said during the entire segment. While his thoughts on Ohtani's hall-of-fame candidacy were a bit antiquated, he is absolutely right in that winning will go a long way in making that contract a bit easier to stomach, assuming Ohtani never pitches again. They are paying him to win, not hit solo home runs.

The one thing that I don't think was discussed that should have been during that segment is the other justifiable reason to never let Ohtani pitch again. Maybe this was all part of the plan? Ohtani is pushing 30. He takes great care of himself, but already has an elbow injury that will keep him from pitching this season, maybe even next? However, what if by design he was done pitching by, say 35?

If that were the case, the Dodgers would be paying for roughly four years of pitching in the heart of his contract, and that's it. If memory serves me right, Ohtani could conceivably move over to first base like Bryce Harper had to do for the Philadelphia Phillies once he had Tommy John surgery. By the time that happens, Freddie Freeman will be firmly in his 40s, and probably ready to go be Dad.

However, you cannot pay a designated hitter over $100 million annually under any circumstances.

Grade: D, as in Dodger Blue