Shohei Ohtani is not in line to draw another start with his Los Angeles Dodgers down three games to two to the Toronto Blue Jays in the World Series eand facing elimination, but he and Dave Roberts are leaving the door open for him to pitch in a new role.
Ohtani started Game 4 of the Series and could be available to pitch in relief or as an opener, with Yoshinobu Yamamoto scheduled to start in Game 6 and Tyler Glasnow scheduled to take the ball in Game 7. He has already noted that he is preparing to be ready for any situation.
“Of course,” Ohtani told the Los Angeles Times’ Dylan Hernandez when asked if he was looking to pitch again this series following his start. “I’d like to prepare to be available for every game in case I’m needed.”
Ohtani did not go on a rehab assignment before taking the mound for the Dodgers this year. He instead served as an opener as part of his build-up, and the Dodgers could deploy him in that role. That would be the easiest way to get him on the mound, and the team would not lose his bat in the lineup.
The other options for Ohtani taking the ball again this series are more complicated. If he comes out of the bullpen, the Dodgers would lose his bat in the lineup when he’s replaced unless he plays in the field. He’d almost certainly play in the outfield in that case.
Ohtani has not played in the outfield since 2021. He has just 8 1/3 innings of experience in the outfield since coming to Major League Baseball. However, he did play 64 games as an outfielder in Japan with the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters.
Using Ohtani in the outfield for the first time since 2021 could be a risky move for the Dodgers. However, the Dodgers’ bullpen has been one of their few weaknesses, and if Dave Roberts sees a spot where using Ohtani would help the team, he may be willing to make the move.
“I think we’d consider everything. It’s more about doing whatever we can to get to tomorrow and then pick up the pieces and see what’s the best way to attack a potential Game 7,” Roberts said before Game 6 regarding Ohtani pitching. “Everything should be on the table and will be.”
The Dodgers could also think about using Ohtani as a closer. He famously struck out Mike Trout in the 2023 World Baseball Classic to win the tournament serving as Samurai Japan’s closer. Using him as a closer could prevent Ohtani from having to play in the outfield, but it also comes with a risk.
Not that Ohtani has not come through in big moments, but he has never appeared as a closer in the big leagues. The only time he has pitched in the ninth inning or later in his MLB career was on July 27, 2023, when he threw the only complete game of his MLB career. The Los Angeles Angels won 6-0 against the Detroit Tigers, so it was far from a pressure-filled ninth inning.
The Dodgers need to win two straight games in Toronto to become the first team to win consecutive World Series since the New York Yankees won their third in a row in 2000. Ohtani is one of the team’s best pitchers, and the Dodgers may be willing to use him in a new role with their backs against the wall.
Photo: Shohei Ohtani throws against the Toronto Blue Jays during the third inning in Game 4 of baseball’s World Series, Tuesday, Oct. 28, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)
