Shohei Ohtani should be the one to make playoff pitching decision, per insider

Just when the Los Angeles Dodgers' pitching injuries seemed to pile up, manager Dave Roberts didn’t rule out the possibility of Shohei Ohtani taking the mound in the postseason.

Ohtani, who had been sidelined from pitching duties for the 2024 season due to Tommy John surgery, has continued to dominate offensively, with a real chance to become the first player in MLB history to record 50 home runs and 50 stolen bases in a single season.

The Dodgers were postseason favorites from the start, having gone all-in on both Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto. Yamamoto, who recently returned from a two-and-a-half-month stint on the IL, boasts a sub-3.00 ERA.

However, the Dodgers now face a critical challenge with four starting pitchers on the IL, including Tyler Glasnow, who suffered a setback during his rehab, and Clayton Kershaw, who is racing against time to return for the postseason.

For more news and rumors, check out MLB Insider Robert Murray’s work onThe Baseball Insider’s podcast, subscribe to The Moonshot, our weekly MLB newsletter, and join the discord to get the inside scoop between now and the MLB off-season.

Shohei Ohtani should get to decide whether he pitches in the playoffs

With 17 different pitchers having started for the team this season, the possibility of Ohtani returning to the mound could become a real necessity for the Dodgers.

Roberts has hinted that, under the right circumstances, Ohtani could pitch in October. But Ohtani is the one who should be in control of that call, according to Jon Morosi on MLB Network.

"He is the one who knows the most about his own body...He himself has not come out and ruled himself out for the postseason," Morosi said.

While the team has only seen him throw lightly in the bullpen, his return could bolster their playoff chances, but it also carries the inherent danger of re-injury. For now, the Dodgers are weighing all options, as Ohtani’s return to pitching could dramatically shape the team’s postseason run.

Should Ohtani pitch in the playoffs and remain healthy, it would only add to his already historic season, solidifying his two-way legacy. However, pushing too hard could jeopardize not just his future with the Dodgers, but his long-term career aspirations as well.