Shohei Ohtani spoke about injury management and his hitting form on October 2, U.S. local time, during the National League Division Series’ pre-series workout day at Dodger Stadium.
The Los Angeles Dodgers placed him on the injured list late in the regular season and chose to bring him back solely as a hitter.
This change was not only about his poor results; issues with his physical condition that overlapped with his return-to-pitching process also changed his postseason role.
3-line summary
1. Ohtani will play only as a hitter in the postseason
2. He stopped pitching because of knee and biceps issues
3. Injury management and recovering his hitting are separate tasks
The Return to the Mound Stopped After July 3
Ohtani has been unable to take the mound since July 3 because of pain in his left knee. He was also reported to have a right biceps issue that affected both his hitting and preparations to return as a pitcher. In early September, neck pain was added to the problems, leading to his consecutive exclusions from the starting lineup, and the Dodgers ultimately placed him on the 15-day injured list.
In the most recent 24 games before he went on the injured list, he posted a batting average of 0.198, an OPS of 0.689, and 34 strikeouts. There is also a record showing that his hitting momentum declined after he restarted his pitching program. Over the full season, he went 8–2 with a 1.79 ERA in 14 starts, but those results did not lead to his being used as a pitcher in the postseason.
When he resumed tee batting on September 15, U.S. local time, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said he expected Ohtani to return during the regular season. However, he added that this was the manager’s expectation at the time and that the actual timing of the return and the number of games in which Ohtani would appear were unknown.
Returning as a Hitter and Playing Both Ways Were Different Issues
After returning with 5 games remaining in the regular season, Ohtani went 5-for-21. The Dodgers combined rest with swing training, and hitting coach Aaron Bates explained that the focus was on timing against a variety of pitch velocities and on his swing mechanics rather than on physical problems.
However, in an October 2 interview, Ohtani said he still had not completely identified the root cause of his physical problems. He said he would be able to undergo treatment and corrective work during the offseason, while also stating that until then, there were aspects he would have to manage himself. This did not mean that he had declared his injury management complete; it meant that he remained in a condition requiring management in order to play in games.
The Dodgers’ designated postseason role for him was also clear. Ohtani will return only as a hitter, and playing both ways has been postponed until 2027. His performance at the plate in the postseason can be anticipated, but this is why it is difficult to expect him to take the mound based on his pitching results during the regular season.
Management Challenges Remaining After 30 Home Runs
Ohtani finished the regular season with 30 home runs, the fewest in his 3 years since joining the Dodgers. His final home run came on August 18 in an away game against Colorado. Compared with the point early in the season when he had a batting average of 0.296, an OPS of 0.952, and 26 home runs, restoring both his physical condition and his hitting timing became more important late in the season.
The point worth noting in this case is that returning as a hitter did not mean an immediate return as a pitcher. The Dodgers and Ohtani narrowed his role in the postseason to focus on hitting, leaving the resumption of playing both ways as a task for after next season.
References
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