Shohei Ohtani has had incredible success in his first season of only batting, but Dodgers fans were still hoping that the two-way star would appear on the mound this season. Dodgers general manager Brandon Gomes responded to the speculation, saying, “he’s not pitching for us this year.”
The Dodgers have been impacted by injuries, especially in their rotation, and fans had hoped Ohtani’s rehab and throwing program could get him ready for a postseason appearance on the mound.
Los Angeles has not needed Ohtani on the mound this season; his bat has made up for the lack of pitching in his Dodgers debut season. The Japanese star has been incredible at the plate in 2024 and is having one of the best seasons Major League Baseball fans have ever seen.
Ohtani is batting .291 with an NL-best 39 homers. He has also impacted the game on the base paths, with a career-best 39 stolen bases. The 30-year-old is on the brink of more MLB history with these numbers. Only five players in league history have had a 40-40 season, and Ohtani is nearing that club.
Fans worried if Ohtani would have the same impact during his season off the mound. The two-time MVP quickly put those worries to rest and has shown the league how dynamic of a hitter he can be. Ohtani is one of the favorites to win the MVP for the second straight year and will be in the mix to win his first World Series with the Dodgers.
SHOHEI GETS THE @Dodgers CLOSER #Dodgers pic.twitter.com/a0iuGumarP
— World Baseball Network (@WorldBaseball_) August 18, 2024
_____
WBN Shohei Ohtani Coverage: https://worldbaseball.com/?s=ohtani
Photo Credit: Shohei Ohtani #17 of the Los Angeles Dodgers rounds the bases after hitting a home run against the St. Louis Cardinals in the fifth inning at Busch Stadium on August 18, 2024 in St Louis, Missouri. (Photo by Dilip Vishwanat/Getty Images)
