Shohei Ohtani reportedly open to drastic change in future plans with Dodgers

The Los Angeles Dodgers gave Shohei Ohtani a ten-year deal worth $700 million (with most of it deferred) for several reasons. The main reason they were willing to go to that record-setting number has to do with how big of a draw Ohtani is. The Dodgers can swim in money that Ohtani brings in and not worry one bit about the massive contract that they dolled out.

Ohtani has become such a phenomenon in large part because he's doing things we've never seen before. He's an elite hitter and an elite pitcher. His ability to do both at the same time is something we've truly never seen before (sorry, Babe Ruth).

His injured elbow might prevent him from pitching in 2024, but all signs pointed to Ohtani taking the mound sometime in 2025, potentially even on Opening Day. Well, since Ohtani has been swinging such a hot bat, many, including USA Today's Bob Nightengale, have wondered whether he'd consider giving pitching up for good. From what Nightengale had to say, Ohtani might be more open to it than anyone expected.

Shohei Ohtani might be open to giving up pitching if Dodgers ask him to

"If the Los Angeles Dodgers ask Shohei Ohtani to give up pitching and be an everyday outfielder in the future, two persons familiar with Ohtani’s thinking say he’d likely be amenable," writes Nightengale. "Ohtani obviously loves hitting, and is perhaps the best in the game to do it, but those close to him say that he doesn’t have the same passion for pitching as hitting. He does both simply because he can do it."

Well isn't this interesting? According to two people familiar with Ohtani's thinking, Shohei might be willing to give up pitching altogether and become a full-time outfielder. Part of the reason why is because he doesn't have the same passion for hitting.

If that is the case, then Ohtani being fine with giving it up makes sense. He already got his big payday, can avoid risking another major pitching injury, and can do what he seems to love to do most, swing the bat.

It might make sense from Ohtani's point of view, but why would the Dodgers be okay with this? Why would the Dodgers ask Ohtani to give up pitching when they just gave him the richest contract in MLB history to hit and pitch? Even if he suffers another injury, he's proven multiple times that he can still hit at an absurdly high level while recovering from a major elbow procedure.

If this was year seven of the contract or something like that, sure, it'd make some sense for Ohtani to focus solely on hitting, but he hasn't thrown a single pitch in a Dodgers uniform yet. Don't they at least want to see what he'll look like with Mark Prior's wizardry once he's fully healthy first?

It's confusing why this argument for Ohtani giving up pitching is suddenly gaining traction. Is it just because he's been so dominant at the plate? He's been dominant at the plate at the same time as pitching before without hitting behind Mookie Betts and in front of Freddie Freeman. It makes no sense.

It's good to see that Ohtani might be open to giving pitching up if that's what the Dodgers want, but there's no reason for the Dodgers to want that. At least not yet. Let him try pitching as a Dodger before giving up on the idea.