Will Shohei Ohtani boost the Dodgers’ bullpen in the playoffs?

The Dodgers plan to use Shohei Ohtani as a launcher leaving in the playoffs, the president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman confirmed on Monday.

This does not mean, however, that there are not certain scenarios in which it could also get out of the enclosure of the lifts.

“Things are taking place in October that you cannot predict,” said Friedman before Monday’s match against the Philadelphia phillies – shortly after, by coincidence, by catching up with the signing of the new phillies and the ex -favorite Walker Buehler, who made three departures in the rotation of the Dodgers in the last series before of play in game 5 of the fall classic.

“Walker Buehler was a launcher for us last year and finished match 5 of the World Series,” noted Friedman. “So you never know how things are going to be played.”

The possibility of pitching Ohtani in relief has been percolated for several weeks. Titching coach Mark Prirara said he could “absolutely” imagine it during an appearance on the “Dan Patrick Show” last month. Manager Dave Roberts recently reiterated that the conversation concerning Ohtani’s pitching role has remained open while the regular season ends.

“Could that change on the road to the playoffs?” But right now, we see him as a starter. “

Friedman largely echoes this feeling on Monday, one day before Ohtani was ready for his next departure planned in a pivotal series against the Phillies (which entered this week’s visit to the Dodger stadium 4 ½ games in front of the Dodgers for the head of the N ° 2 in the National League classification, and the first round that comes with it).

Friedman congratulated Ohtani, who returned from Tommy John surgery this year of second career with an MPM of 3.75 and 49 stick with 36 -rounds, as “one of the best starters in the National League”.

Shohei Ohtani delivers against Baltimore Orioles to Camden Yards on September 5.

(Scott Taetsch / Getty Images)

He said that the team’s expectation is that right -handed “has an impact on as a starting launcher” in the playoffs – even if Ohtani may not present much after the fifth round of the games (the limit at which he was held during his recent departures of the regular season) and will not be asked to make consecutive departures this year.

“No one takes only [he is with the] Pitching and also hit and run the basics, “said Friedman.” So, just trying to be aware of this. “”

However, the fate of the enclosure of the readers in certain specific end -of -game situations could remain on the table.

Like Buehler last year, and Clayton Kershaw in many octobres before that, a long race in the playoffs will probably offer opportunities to use Ohtani as lift in the days between his departures – perhaps in potential fence games or the nights when the back of the team’s thread is low for other options of confidence.

Ohtani has a memorable personal experience in such a role, having recorded the latest withdrawals from the Japanese team’s victory in the World Baseball 2023 classic.

Looking at this season, Friedman has not closed the door to this possibility either; Even if he said that his goal has remained on navigation in the last two weeks of the regular season first.

“We expect him to go for us,” said Friedman, “and according to everything else, we will determine where to go from there.”

Of course, Ohtani’s bidirectional status would add additional complications to all potential levels of the enclosure of the lifts.

There are logistical questions – like the way he warms up if his place in the order of strikers arrives in the round before he was supposed to take the mound.

And then there is a technical dilemma – the bidirectional rules of MLB having been written in a way that, if Ohtani entered the game as a lifter, the dodgers would lose it as a hitter designated once it is out of the mound.

“Once you dismiss him … and decide to get out of it, you have to take this cost to lose the DH and lose it as a striker,” said Roberts. “You must be ready to try the opportunity.”

This reality could restrict Ohtani to launch only the enclosure of the lifts in the ninth round of the matches, and could make the dodgers more hesitant to use Ohtani in relief for fear of what would happen if a game extended after the end of its release.

The dodgers have appointed the shohei ohtani striker remains a key bat for the team, adding weight to any decision to use it as lift.

(Eric Thayer / Eric Thayer for the Los Angeles Times)

“I think they missed the brand with that,” said Friedman when he was asked if he was frustrated by the language of the dual sense rule; which was promulgated by MLB several years ago in response to the emergence of Ohtani as a two -way star, but allows him to stay in the game as a striker after having left the pitch departuresspecifically.

“I think the rule has been set up to try to encourage people to do so, to encourage people,” said Friedman. “So yes, I think they missed.”

Friedman noted that he liked to see the rule that ultimately changed to also include emergency appearances, but recognized “it is more of an offseason and future”.

“Obviously,” he added, “it is not reasonable for us to ask for this season.”

Thus, for the moment, the Dodgers will continue to weigh the complex advantages and the disadvantages of how to use the Ohtani arm once they reach October.

Its current weekly calendar has aligned Ohtani to launch match 1 of a potential Jakers series, which will start exactly two weeks from its start of Tuesday evening against the Phillies (although Friedman insisted that it was not intentional).

That its services are necessary, even in closely conceivable circumstances, outside the enclosure of the lifts beyond it-the dodgers continuing to leave this possibility open for the moment.

“I think so much, when is it starting?” What is this free time between the two? How much do our other beginners aligned? ” Said Friedman.

“Until we know that, it’s hard to get too much.”