Los Angeles Dodgers general manager Brandon Gomes on Monday put an end to any speculation surrounding Shohei Ohtani’s future as a two-way player.
This season, Ohtani has slotted in exclusively as the Dodgers’ designated hitter. The Japanese superstar has remained on the road to recovery as a pitcher after undergoing his second major elbow surgery last September.
With Ohtani reportedly making progress toward his return to the mound, questions have emerged about whether the two-way player should stick to just batting
While speaking to reporters on Monday, Gomes was asked about the notion that Ohtani could be better off shutting down his pitching side.
The Dodgers executive spoke definitively against the idea.
“[Ohtani’s] ability to do both brings exponential value,” Gomes said, via ESPN’s Alden Gonzalez. “So let’s just say the offensive side takes a small step back — that’s still so valuable, that he can do both. Oh, and by the way, if his offense takes a step back, it’s still MVP-caliber offense. Yes, he’s had an amazing season. But the ability to do both is somehow still completely underappreciated.”
Even as a one-way player who never takes the field on defense, Ohtani has proven to be one of the best players in the league. The Dodgers DH has batted .302 with 34 home runs, 81 RBIs, and an OPS of 1.008 through 112 games this season.
It’s possible that Ohtani specifically requested to be allowed to continue his two-way play when he was a free agent negotiating with teams last offseason. But regardless of the reasoning, the Dodgers are clearly content to let Ohtani take the mound again once he’s ready.
