Shohei Ohtani mentioned he’s ready to make a six-inning begin in October. He mentioned he’s open to pitching out of the bullpen, even when remaining within the sport after a reduction look may require him to play within the outfield.
His unstated causes for wanting to take action are apparent: The Dodgers are horrible.
They aren’t horrible in comparison with the Colorado Rockies or Chicago White Sox, however they’re horrible for a staff with the most costly roster in baseball.
They’re horrible for a staff with ambitions to repeat as World Collection champions.
They’re horrible sufficient that Ohtani is sounding how he did when he performed for the Angels.
Mockingly, he signed with the Dodgers in order that he wouldn’t need to be on this scenario once more. However right here he’s, sounding as if he thinks he has to do every part by himself.
The Dodgers have failed him.
Ohtani got here up with the concept to defer nearly all of his $700-million contract till after he retires, wanting the Dodgers to spend that cash to construct tremendous groups round him. The Dodgers gained a World Collection final yr, however the good occasions might already be over.
As an alternative of constructing one other championship staff, president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman constructed an all-time clunker. As an alternative of making a 120-win juggernaut on which Ohtani would be capable to have his cake and eat it too, the Dodgers have positioned him in a predicament wherein he might need to resolve between prioritizing both the upcoming postseason or his pitching future.
Profitable the World Collection once more with Ohtani on rehabilitation mode will probably be extraordinarily troublesome for these Dodgers, if not downright inconceivable. Their 9-6 loss to the Philadelphia Phillies on Tuesday night time defined why, their bullpen imploding as soon as once more to waste one other did-that-really-happen efficiency by Ohtani. At this level, their bullpen may as properly be renamed the 9 Horsemen of the Apocalypse.
With Ohtani nonetheless in his first season pitching after his second Tommy John surgical procedure, the Dodgers have restricted his begins to 5 innings. That was the plan once more on Tuesday, and 5 no-hit innings by Ohtani wasn’t about to make supervisor Dave Roberts stray from an organizational directive.
Eradicating Ohtani was a well being determination, not a baseball determination.
Nonetheless, by sticking to the plan, Roberts was compelled to reenact his nightly routine of juggling sticks of dynamite. This time the explosion was quick, as Justin Wrobleski gave up 5 runs to show a 4-0 lead right into a 5-4 deficit.
Roberts was loudly booed when he walked to the mound to exchange Wrobleski, however how might anybody blame the supervisor for deploying the hard-throwing left-hander, who was one of many staff’s most reliable relievers? It’s not as if the subsequent pitcher shut down the Phillies. Edgardo Henriquez additionally gave up a homer.
Ohtani’s fiftieth homer of the season sparked an eighth-inning, two-run rally for the Dodgers that leveled the rating, 6-6. The comeback made what occurred later all of the extra deflating. Blake Treinen allowed three runs, and the sport was over.
To recap: Ohtani pitched 5 no-hit innings and blasted a dramatic eighth-inning homer, and the Dodgers nonetheless misplaced.
As a lot as he offered, it wasn’t sufficient, which is why he was requested after the sport about what extra he might do.
Ohtani will pitch as a starter within the postseason however when requested if he is also deployed as a reliever to assist the flailing bullpen, he replied, “I’ve had totally different conversations with totally different folks, and naturally that’s come up.”
That’s when Ohtani introduced a novel concept about how the Dodgers might use him.
“As a participant, if I’m advised to go someplace, I need to be ready to take action,” he mentioned. “That’s on the mound and even perhaps within the outfield.”
The outfield?
Beneath baseball’s present guidelines, if Ohtani begins a sport as a pitcher and is changed on the mound, he might proceed enjoying as a chosen hitter. Nonetheless, if he begins the sport as a DH and pitches out of the bullpen, the Dodgers would lose the DH as soon as his reduction look is over.
Taking part in within the outfield would permit the Dodgers to make use of Ohtani as a reliever and preserve his bat of their lineup after.
Advised of what Ohtani mentioned, Roberts replied, “He’s an incredible teammate. He desires to assist us win a championship. So I’m all about it.”
Roberts appeared delighted.
After all he did. Any inning pitched by Ohtani is an inning not pitched by one of many Dodgers’ relievers. Any at-bat taken by Ohtani is an at-bat not taken by one of many staff’s inconsistent hitters.
Ohtani and the Dodgers will quickly need to make a significant determination.
The group can’t stay cautious with Ohtani and make a professional effort to retain their crown. They’re not adequate to do each. They should select one or the opposite.
