Los Angeles (United States) (AFP) – The Los Angeles Dodgers will consider using two-way star Shohei Ohtani as a relief pitcher to shore up their struggling bullpen, manager Dave Roberts said Wednesday. The Japanese superstar has been superb on the mound as a starting pitcher this year after not pitching at all in 2024 as he recovered from elbow ligament surgery. He has also continued to shine at the plate, with 50 home runs going into Wednesday’s home game against the Philadelphia Phillies. While Roberts confirmed the team is willing to rethink Ohtani’s role, he is also wary of knocking him off his stride.
“I know that we are going to be talking about it,” Roberts told reporters on Wednesday when asked if Ohtani might pitch in relief. But Ohtani hasn’t pitched on less than five days’ rest this season, and Roberts said the differences in scheduling and workload for relievers coming out of the bullpen might be a stumbling block. “He’s a very methodical, disciplined, routine-driven person,” Roberts said. “The ‘pen is the complete opposite, right? You potentially could be taking on risk, and we’ve come this far, certainly with the kid gloves and managing. So it’s a very fair question. I just don’t know how it could play out. But it’s something we’re all talking about.”
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Just how careful the Dodgers are being with Ohtani and his surgically-repaired right elbow was clear on Tuesday, when he pitched five no-hit innings against the Phillies but was taken out of the game by Roberts even though he had thrown just 68 pitches. Ohtani said he had had “different conversations with different people” and the idea of pitching in relief had come up. He also floated the idea of playing in the outfield, saying he was willing to contribute in any way the Dodgers thought he could. “As a player, if I’m told to go somewhere, I want to be prepared to do so,” he said.
Under major league rules, if Ohtani starts a game as a pitcher and is replaced on the mound, he can continue batting as a designated hitter. But if he pitches out of the bullpen and is the designated hitter, the Dodgers would lose the designated hitter when he is replaced on the mound. Roberts didn’t rule out the possibility of Ohtani playing in the outfield, but didn’t make it sound likely. “I don’t know if it’s a pipe dream, but it’s very commendable from Shohei,” Roberts said. “I think that what happens is that there’s a lot of moving parts, too. He would have to take on more load, as far as kind of being an outfielder to then pitch. There’s a lot of variables,” Roberts said. “But to know that he can potentially run out there, it’s great. Maybe just in theory. But again, I love him for even throwing that out there.”
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