Superstar Ohtani, no early return as pitcher Focus on batting role in PS

Superstar Ohtani, no early return as pitcher Focus on batting role in PS

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Superstar Shohei Ohtani (Los Angeles Dodgers) is unlikely to participate as a pitcher in the 2024 Major League Baseball (MLB) postseason.

Dodgers general manager Brandon Gomez said in an interview with local media outlets, including MLB.com, held at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, California on the 3rd (Korean time), "I don't think Ohtani's role will be any different than before," and "Ohtani is not expected to pitch in this year's postseason."

Then, when asked about Ohtani's pitching training process, he said, "I'm doing bullpen pitching before games and on off days like before," and "Live pitching (practice of throwing the ball as if it were a real game with the batter standing in front of you) depends on how much my current training progresses."

Ohtani, who plays both as a pitcher and a hitter, recorded a batting average of 0.304, 44 home runs, and 95 RBIs as a hitter in the 2023 season, and a record of 10 wins, 5 losses, and an ERA of 3.14 as a pitcher.

He had elbow surgery after the regular season and has played only as a hitter this year.

Ohtani, who set the MLB record of 50 home runs and 50 stolen bases for the first time this season, is also training to return as a pitcher.

The training process is going smoothly, including his first bullpen pitch on August 25th.

As Ohtani recovered quickly, those around him predicted that he would be able to stand on the mound in the postseason.

In particular, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts left the door open 토토 last month, saying, "All possibilities are open."

However, the Dodgers have scrapped the 2024 return scenario for pitcher Ohtani after internal discussions.

MLB.com reported that "Ohtani will have to participate in live pitching in order to pitch this fall," and "As of now, Ohtani's return as a pitcher will occur in 2025."

The Dodgers, who advanced to the postseason in first place in the National League (NL) West, will play the winner of the NL Wild Card Series between the Atlanta Braves and San Diego Padres in the NL Division Series.

Ohtani, who played for the Los Angeles Angels until last season, will be playing in the postseason for the first time this year.