LOS ANGELES — Dave Roberts cracked the door open on a wild October idea: using Shohei Ohtani in the outfield so he remains eligible to pitch in relief later that same game. Roberts didn’t rule it out—“that is a way”—but he also emphasized the guardrails: “He hasn’t taken a fly ball all year,” and with Ohtani “it’s going to be a health decision the whole way.” That’s the dilemma in a nutshell: a tantalizing tactical edge versus risk and readiness.
From Ohtani’s side, the posture is everything you’d want. Reflecting on his latest outing, he said, “We executed the plan. It was my first time working with this battery, but it was very smooth—we understood each other and got hitters out one by one.” Within strict usage limits, he focused on efficiency: “Within the limits, I kept the pitch count down and made sure the balls in play became outs. That was the biggest key to keeping the pitch count low.” And while he clearly wants to build stamina, he’s aligned with the program: “Of course, it’s better if I can increase pitch count and innings. I’d like to go longer and face more hitters, but I’m not the one who decides where I stop. If the front office and the manager want me to go, I’ll prepare to do it; if they want me to come out, I’ll follow that.” When Roberts checked in mid-game, Shohei added, “He asked how my body felt. I told him I felt good and my stuff was good, but the decision to pull me is completely the manager’s. I only reported how I felt.”
So… should the Dodgers actually do this?
The upside
1) Maximum leverage flexibility. If Ohtani starts a postseason game in the outfield rather than solely at DH, he’s already “in” the game. That preserves late-inning optionality: Roberts can read the leverage and flip Shohei to the mound for a precise pocket (3–6 outs) without burning a new player to get him into the game. Roberts acknowledged exactly this concept—using the outfield “as a way” to keep him available to pitch.
2) Keep the bat, add the arm. Ohtani remains in the lineup while being available to throw the ninth. You don’t sacrifice plate appearances from the sport’s most dangerous hitter to gain your best out-getter. In tight October games, that dual threat is real run value.
3) Rhythm advantage. Shohei just underscored how much efficiency and tempo matter—“keeping the pitch count down” and collecting quick outs. Playing defense keeps him engaged; if the phone rings, you’re not cold-starting a reliever who’s been idle for three hours.
4) Opponent game-planning chaos. The mere possibility that Ohtani could take the ninth changes pinch-hit decisions and swing aggression. Even if he never leaves the grass, that shadow affects choices in the other dugout.
The risks (and the rules reality)
1) Health is the lodestar. Roberts: Ohtani’s usage remains a health-first decision. Fresh off TJ, sudden warm-ups and max-effort outfield throws introduce different stresses than a controlled start day. The Dodgers have been, in Roberts’ words, “very steadfast” with the five-inning cap; deviating requires a plan all parties buy into.
2) No defensive reps in 2025. “He hasn’t taken a fly ball all year.” Outfield defense at postseason speed—reads, routes, walls, throws—requires reps. October isn’t the laboratory. If the club wants this tool, it needs live work immediately to make it viable.
3) Lineup/DH mechanics. Moving a player between defense and the mound can alter how the DH slot is preserved or forfeited, depending on the starting configuration that day. In extra-inning chess matches, losing the DH can sting. The Dodgers must pre-script these contingencies.
4) Bullpen messaging. Turning to your MVP as a late-inning stopgap can sound like a vote of no confidence in the relief corps. Roberts has insisted he believes in the talent, framing the current issue as confidence and execution, not ability. You don’t want this wrinkle to become a crutch—or a clubhouse signal that it’s Shohei-or-bust.
What would make it wise?
To move from thought experiment to October weapon, three boxes need to be checked:
- Pre-agreed health framework. If “the powers that be—and Sho included” sign off, set hard guardrails: warm-up protocol, throw ceilings, inning targets, no-hop throws on plays that don’t demand it. Ohtani’s on board with structure and deference: “I’m not the one who decides where I stop… If they want me to go, I’ll prepare to do it; if they want me to come out, I’ll follow that.”
- Real defensive practice—now. Daily fly-ball work, route drills, wall plays, and controlled throwing. Without it, the defensive risk can outweigh the pitching upside.
- Narrow, scripted scenarios. Identify 2–3 exact game states where this is green-lit (e.g., tie or one-run lead vs. the opponent’s lefty heart in the 8th/9th). If that window doesn’t appear, don’t force it.
Where Ohtani stands
Competitive as ever, he’s itching to carry more load without freelancing the plan: “I’d like to go longer and face more hitters,” and “I want to be ready to pitch in any situation,” but he keeps circling back to the team framework—“the decision is completely the manager’s.” He also praised the battery work: “It was very smooth… we understood each other and got hitters out one by one.” That matters if the club contemplates a multi-role night; communication is already strong.
Verdict
The outfield-to-mound Shohei is a situationally smart card—not a default. In the right leverage, it could be a series-swinging edge: you keep the best bat and deploy the best arm for the exact outs that matter most. Roberts has left the door open—“I don’t think anything should be off the table”—while keeping the main thing the main thing: health and a plan they’ve honored all year.
If the medical, performance, and player-buy-in lights all turn green—and if the Dodgers invest reps in the outfield now—keep this in the quiver for October. If not, the safest way to let Shohei change games is the one he already mastered this week: dominate on the mound by plan, and break hearts in the box. As Ohtani put it, “I felt good and my stuff was good, but the decision to pull me is completely the manager’s.” That balance—ambition inside discipline—should guide whatever the Dodgers do next.
Have you subscribed to the Bleed Los Podcast YouTube channel? Be sure to ring the notification bell to watch player interviews, participate in shows & promotions, and stay up to date on all Dodgers news and rumors!
