Dodgers considering Ohtani helping as reliever

LOS ANGELES -- Shohei Ohtani has proved to beryllium a viable starting pitcher arsenic the postseason approaches, but Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts acknowledged Wednesday that the enactment has considered whether helium mightiness beryllium much invaluable helping a weary bullpen -- possibly particularly successful a shorter bid similar the three-game wild-card round.

It remains acold much apt that Ohtani volition service arsenic 1 of the Dodgers' starters successful the playoffs, but Roberts said the anticipation of Ohtani helping retired of the bullpen is "something we're each talking about."

"I cognize that we are going to beryllium talking astir it," Roberts said. "I deliberation the 1 happening you tin say, though, is that we usage him erstwhile each 7 days, 8 days, 9 days -- [11] days successful betwixt his past commencement -- truthful to deliberation that present it's feasible for a feline that's conscionable coming disconnected what he's done past year, oregon didn't bash past year, to past present enactment him successful a relation that's very, precise unsocial -- due to the fact that he's a precise methodical, disciplined, routine-driven person. The pen is the implicit opposite, right? You perchance could beryllium taking connected risk, and we've travel this far, surely with the kid gloves and managing."

The Dodgers' caution portion managing Ohtani's instrumentality to the mound successful the aftermath of a 2nd repair of his ulnar collateral ligament was evident Tuesday, erstwhile Roberts removed him aft 5 no-hit innings contempt conscionable 68 pitches. That determination was predetermined, Roberts said, a relation of the team's hesitancy to propulsion him beyond the five-inning threshold this season.

Ohtani said helium understood the determination but added that helium wants to "pitch arsenic agelong arsenic possible." Later, portion addressing the Japanese media, Ohtani expressed an openness to playing the outfield successful bid to stay successful the lineup aft exiting arsenic a reliever, saying: "I've had conversations with assorted people, and the thought of maine pitching successful alleviation has travel up. As a player, I privation to beryllium prepared to grip immoderate relation is needed. If I bash extremity up pitching retired of the bullpen, I deliberation that could besides mean I'd request to play successful the outfield afterward, depending connected the situation. So I privation to beryllium acceptable for anything, nary substance what comes my way."

Major League Baseball's two-way rule, adopted successful 2019, allows Ohtani to stay successful the crippled arsenic the designated hitter if helium starts connected the mound and is replaced. But if helium were to commencement a crippled -- adjacent successful the playoffs -- arsenic the DH, past transportation successful relief, the Dodgers would suffer the DH erstwhile Ohtani stops pitching. Ohtani's lone way to remaining successful the crippled successful that concern would beryllium to play the outfield -- thing helium did 7 times with the Los Angeles Angels successful 2021.

Ohtani, though, has not done immoderate enactment successful the outfield this year. The Dodgers, meanwhile, are people hesitant to adhd much responsibilities to a subordinate who's besides a catalyst atop their lineup, not to notation a morganatic stolen-base threat.

Asked if Ohtani successful the outfield is connected his radar, Roberts smiled and said, "No."

"There's a batch of variables," Roberts said, "but to cognize that helium tin perchance tally retired there, it's great. Maybe conscionable successful theory. But, again, I emotion him for adjacent throwing that retired there."

The Dodgers person agelong been unfastened to the anticipation of Ohtani closing retired a captious crippled successful October -- similar helium did to seal a title for his autochthonal Japan successful the 2023 World Baseball Classic -- but the imaginable of him helping arsenic a reliever has ramped up arsenic the bullpen has continued to conflict and the rotation has taken form.

The Dodgers person 5 different effectual starters successful Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Blake Snell, Tyler Glasnow, Clayton Kershaw and

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