Shohei Ohtani gets real about his potential role in the postseason with the Dodgers

Can you recall a player who has excelled in three different positions during a single season? Enter Shohei Ohtani, who has been nothing short of outstanding both as a hitter and a pitcher for the Los Angeles Dodgers. The Dodgers may require his versatility to overcome the challenges, such as those they faced in the initial two games of their series against the Philadelphia Phillies.

With the Dodgers, Ohtani has reached a new performance peak, notably going five innings without allowing a hit against the Phillies. Discussions even emerged about him pitching for six or more innings. Nonetheless, he continues to make significant contributions to the team’s offense with an impressive tally of 50 home runs.

In light of this, the Dodgers’ star recently addressed the possibility of expanding his role come postseason. “I’ve been having various conversations with different people, and that topic has come up as well. That applies to the mound, and possibly even the outfield,” Ohtani mentioned to the media following the game.

Ohtani elaborated, “If I end up going as a reliever, there may be situations where I’ll need to play defense in the outfield. Regardless of the scenario, I want to ensure I’m prepared to handle it.”

Ohtani reflects on his dual role

The Japanese sensation continues to generate significant buzz with his standout performances in the MLB. After a recent outing, Ohtani shared his thoughts on his dual role with the Dodgers and the unique challenges he faces during the regular season.

“I felt like everything went according to plan this outing. I worked with Ben today, and I felt we were on the same page throughout the entire game. It was pretty impressive to come up with such a strong performance,” Ohtani told the media post-game.

Ohtani sets an uncommon MLB record

Despite Ohtani’s remarkable efforts, the Dodgers fell to the Phillies, leading to an unusual record set by the star. According to OptaStats, “Shohei Ohtani is the only MLB player in the modern era to throw 5.0+ innings without allowing a hit, homered at the plate, yet have his team lose the game,” as noted on OptaStats’ X account.

With the postseason looming, some fans are expressing concern about the Dodgers’ prospects. While Ohtani continues to dazzle, there’s an understanding that he cannot shoulder the entire load alone. To secure deeper playoff success, the team will need more robust contributions from his teammates, as their current performance metrics are not meeting expectations.