Shohei Ohtani is the favorite to win National League Most Valuable Player purely for his offensive exploits, yet it’s possible his value to the Los Angeles Dodgers might grow in the postseason.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said Friday that there is a slight possibility the 30-year-old star could be able to return in October from elbow surgery.
Roberts told SiriusXM MLB Network Radio regarding Ohtani pitching in the playoffs, “I think that you should always leave some margin, a crack in the door for any possibility. If things line up and there’s a need, and the game, (Ohtani’s) body, everything is telling us that it makes sense in that situation, great. It would be storybook.”
The Dodgers then lost 6-2 to the host Atlanta Braves on Friday, the same day sidelined right-hander Tyler Glasnow had to scrap a planned simulated game as he experienced more problems with his pitching elbow.
Roberts subsequently clarified his earlier remarks about Ohtani pitching this year.
“The question I was asked was, ‘Is it a possibility?’ Anything is possible,” Roberts said. “We’ve still got a lot of work to get to October and through October. I hope that’s on his mind as far as motivation for his rehab. But the odds of it coming to pass are very slim. But they’re not zero. That’s my only thing.”
Ohtani was a two-way player for most of his time with the Los Angeles Angels from 2018-2023, though he didn’t pitch in 2019 after undergoing Tommy John surgery.
He signed a 10-year, $700 million free agent deal with the Dodgers last December, but he has yet to get on the mound for his new team.
Ohtani has done his share at the plate and on the basepaths, though. He has an NL-leading 47 homers to go along with 48 stolen bases as he closes in on the first 50-50 season in major league history.
Last year, Ohtani won his second American League MVP honor after leading the league in homers (44), on-base percentage (.412) and slugging percentage (.654) while going 10-5 on the mound with a 3.14 ERA, as he struck out 167 batters in 132 innings.
He last pitched on Aug. 23, 2023, and a month later he had the ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow surgically repaired.
In 86 career pitching starts, Ohtani is 38-19 with a 3.01 ERA and 608 strikeouts in 481 2/3 innings. At the plate, his career numbers include a .277 batting average, a .367 on-base percentage, a .567 slugging percentage, 218 homers, 541 RBIs and 134 steals in 860 games.
