Shohei Ohtani is one of the most outstanding athletes in the world, his talent is undeniable and he has revolutionized the way we think about baseball due to his enormous quality, talent and versatility.
As if that wasn’t enough, he is one of the most charismatic players, something that together with his power at the plate makes him a superstar, which is why the Dodgers took a risk with an unprecedented contract to sign him.
However, the other half of his game, the one that made him unique in Major League Baseball, has not lived up to expectations following his second Tommy John surgery, and now the question arises as to whether Los Angeles can afford to have an Ohtani who no longer pitches.
Shohei Ohtani remains unstoppable at bat in 2025
Shohei Ohtani is the most important name in baseball today and has been since he signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers
The Japanese star has shown why the Dodgers paid so much money to bring him into their ranks, at least with the bat.
So far in the 2025 season, he is hitting .285 with 44 home runs, 83 RBIs and a 1.018 OPS. In August alone, he has raised those numbers, hitting .385 and slugging .754.
Ohtani is an offensive spectacle, there is no doubt about that, it is in his role as a pitcher where doubts arise.
Shohei Ohtani is failing as a pitcher
After undergoing a second Tommy John surgery,Ohtani’s return to the mound was uncertain, a guarded prognosis was prudent given the severity of his injury.
The Dodgers were aware of this and that’s why they signed Roki Sasaki and Blake Snell in the offseason to bolster the rotation.
However, Snell has not found his form and Sasaki has also dealt with injuries.Shoei Ohtani as a pitcher simply has not convinced, as in 10 starts, he has only pitched 27.1 innings, with short and not very dominant outings.
In his last five games he has allowed at least one run and has not gone past the fourth inning. Even against weak opponents such as the Rockies or the Angels, he allowed four runs per outing.
According to MLB journalist Buster Olney, “he won’t be released until the postseason“. Manager Dave Roberts has said “it’s not worth it” to risk him now, betting that he will be ready in October. But in the meantime, the Dodgers are paying $700 million for a player who today is only 100% with the bat
Thinking of him as a long-range reliever might be more realistic in the immediate future, but that begs another question: can you justify paying him that historic figure for a player who doesn’t fulfill his dual role?
If he regains his form in October, all this debate will be forgotten. But if his limitations as a pitcher persist, the Dodgers’ million-dollar gamble could become difficult to defend.
Read the full article here
