The Los Angeles Dodgers will face off against either the Cincinnati Reds or the New York Mets on Monday in the Wild Card Series. While there are still many questions surrounding the Dodgers, one constant remains: Shohei Ohtani is once again on the verge of franchise history.
“Shohei Ohtani has tied his career high with 54 home runs. His next one would be a personal high and Dodgers franchise high — which would break the record he set last year, his first with LA. Ohtani also has a 2.87 ERA this season, by the way,” Dodgers Nation’s Noah Camras posted.
Ohtani’s performance at the plate is undoubtedly impressive, but he’s also frustrating other playoff teams with his ability to contribute on the mound.
“Teams are upset that the Dodgers will have one more pitcher than everyone else on their roster since there’s a special exemption for Shohei Ohtani as a two-way player,” USA Today’s Bob Nightengale wrote. “If Ohtani is a starting pitcher, he can remain in the game as a DH once he’s replaced on the mound.”
The Dodgers have even been considering moving Ohtani into a bullpen role.
“The Dodgers are toying with the idea of using Shohei Ohtani in relief during the postseason, but if they do, he would vacate his spot in the lineup when his turn came up to hit. If he’s a starter, he’s permitted to stay in the game as a DH after he’s done pitching,” Nightengale added.
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The Dodgers haven’t announced a Game 1 starter for Tuesday, but a recent update from a team reporter may have provided a clue.
“Dodgers Dave Roberts declined to name the Game 1 starter for WC series…. but Shohei Ohtani just finished throwing a bullpen session,” Dodgers writer Bill Plunkett posted.
This is significant, as it could suggest Ohtani will take the mound to open the series. If he does start, it’s expected to be a short outing due to the workload restrictions he’s faced this season.
Ohtani starting Game 1 would be a thrilling development for Dodgers fans. It would mark the first postseason pitching appearance of his career—and there’s little doubt he’ll be fired up for the occasion.
