The difficulty of using Shohei Ohtani in series relief

The Los Angeles Dodgers have been counting on Shohei Ohtani for the past year and a half. That said, Ohtani has only been pitching for the Dodgers for a few weeks now.

And he's doing it well.

Obviously, when you think of Ohtani, you think of the hitter. But in Anaheim in 2022, he still finished fourth in the American League Cy Young race. He's a good pitcher…

We'll remember that the Japanese sent him to the mound in the final of the 2023 World Classic, with the game on the line and Mike Trout coming to bat.

It's officially been two years since Shohei Ohtani and Mike Trout went at it with the WBC title on the line

(via @MLBONFOX)pic.twitter.com/apKUeDl8g7

— B/R Walk-Off (@BRWalkoff) March 21, 2025

Could this idea of bringing Ohtani on as a playoff reliever be transposed to 2025? Let's just say it's a possibility worth considering by the Dodgers.

Even if it's unrealistic.

Mark Prior, the Dodgers' pitching coach, addressed the subject in a podcast. And the big problem is that if Ohtani leaves the DH position to pitch in relief, he can't go back to hitting when he leaves the mound.

So the Dodgers would have to do without his services.

“Can I see it? Absolutely.”

– #Dodgers pitching coach Mark Prior on the potential of Shohei Ohtani coming out of the bullpen during the postseason. pic.twitter.com/Oeu1cTl82v

— Dan Patrick Show (@dpshow) August 20, 2025

It's important to remember that the “Shohei Ohtani rule” exists. But it allows the player to stay in the game as a batter because he's the starting pitcher only. That's a game-changer.

So until proven otherwise, it's simpler to use Ohtani as the starter.

However, if the club really needs him in the playoffs and it's really late in the game (so there's no opportunity for him to come back and hit), the manager and his team will consider him.

Unlikely? Yes. Impossible? No.

This content was created with the help of AI.