Dodgers reveal whether Shohei Ohtani will pitch in World Series
March 20, 2024; Seoul, SOUTH KOREA; Los Angeles Dodgers player Shohei Ohtani reacts after playing against the San Diego Padres during a MLB regular season Seoul Series game at Gocheok Sky Dome. Photo Credit: Kim Hong-Ji/Reuters via USA TODAY Sports
The Los Angeles Dodgers have not yet been tempted to use Shohei Ohtani as a pitcher during their run to the World Series. That is not about to change, either.
In an interview with ESPN Radio’s Kevin Winter, Dodgers president Andrew Friedman shut down any possibility of Ohtani pitching in the World Series. Friedman added that Ohtani will return to being a two-way player as soon as the World Series is over, but no sooner.
“He is a one-way player for the next ten days, and then he will go back to being a two-way player,” Friedman said.
“He is a one-way player for the next 10 days and then he will go back to being a two-way player.”@Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman confirms to @KevinPWinter that Shohei Ohtani will NOT pitch in the #WorldSeries https://t.co/XEWbOURKaY pic.twitter.com/n8KsZeJsfi
— ESPN Radio (@ESPNRadio) October 24, 2024
Some were still holding out hope that Ohtani might pitch, even in relief, during the World Series. He underwent elbow surgery in September 2023 and has not pitched in a game since, serving exclusively as a designated hitter. The Dodgers opened the door a bit on the possibility before the playoffs, but they shut it down again pretty quickly after that.
Ohtani is coming off an NLCS in which he went 8-for-22 with a pair of home runs. At this point, it is probably best to let him keep doing what he has been doing.