LOS ANGELES — You may’t blame anybody for asking the query, as a result of Shohei Ohtani has the power to make something seem attainable.
However only one extra time, for the file, Dodgers supervisor Dave Roberts confirmed on the eve of the World Collection that Ohtani is not going to be pitching on this Fall Basic.
“There isn’t any chance, none in anyway,” Roberts mentioned when posed the query throughout his media availability at Dodger Stadium on Thursday. “Thanks for asking.”
Although often a twin risk the likes of which the AL or NL had not seen since Babe Ruth, Ohtani — who signed a 10-year free-agent deal value $700 million final Dec. 11 — has been relegated strictly to designated hitter duties in his first season with the Dodgers whereas recovering from surgical procedure on his proper elbow carried out in September 2023.
No matter any exterior dialog, Ohtani mentioned Thursday that him pitching within the postseason was by no means mentioned internally.
“I’ve by no means mentioned to them that I needed to pitch within the postseason,” he mentioned by interpreter Will Ireton.
Earlier this month, Roberts was requested if Ohtani may or would play the outfield this postseason, and that, too, was a agency, “No.”
In his MLB profession as a pitcher, Ohtani is 38-19 with a 3.01 ERA and a 142 ERA+ (42% higher than league common) in 86 begins. He completed fourth in AL Cy Younger Award voting in 2022.
Win or lose on this World Collection, that’s the type of potential rotation influence the Dodgers have ready on deck.