Ohtani’s Chance to Prove Himself in San Diego

SAN DIEGO – A statement may be coming out tonight.

This could reinforce their longstanding dominance over the Dodgers and the Padres.

And also regarding Shohei Ohtani.

During a year that’s seen a rocky start for his offense, Ohtani now has an opportunity to show that his increased pitching duties haven’t hurt his batting.

The Dodgers will have Ohtani starting as their pitcher in the final game at Petco Park.

After using him exclusively as a pitcher for three rotations, manager Dave Roberts indicated plans to utilize Ohtani as a designated hitter as well.

If Ohtani wants to assert that his pitching and hitting are independent, this is his moment to back it up with some solid performance.

He just needs to deliver at the plate.

Ohtani is coming off a strong performance, with his stats showing he’s 3-2 this season with a 0.82 ERA and 0.82 WHIP over 44 innings pitched.

When in this dual role, he has a track record of success.

The two-way player identity is important to him, maybe due to the criticism he faced back in Japan when he first expressed his desire to embrace this path.

He feels a responsibility to those who believed in him from the start.

“It’s not just about me,” he shared when he opted to pursue this dual route in the major leagues.

His approach has evolved over time.

Initially, when he joined the Angels, he wasn’t allowed to hit on days he pitched. But before his fourth season, the team changed their stance, telling him he was expected to hit every game.

Ohtani believed the Angels were steering him toward becoming a hitter only. His response was to earn the first of his four MVP awards.

This season, he holds a batting average of .272, alongside 7 home runs and 22 RBIs.

Concerns about his performance resurfaced last year during the playoffs.

Limited offensive contributions raised questions, but he silenced critics by delivering 10 strikeouts and 3 home runs in the NLCS against the Brewers.

He has a knack for proving his doubters wrong, and his recent performances speak for themselves. Yet, he hasn’t been giving himself too much credit lately.

In his latest start, Ohtani pitched seven shutout innings against the Giants and appeared reserved during his post-game interactions, with reporters curious about whether skipping batting that night was advantageous.

Roberts noticed Ohtani was showing signs of fatigue and adjusted his role accordingly, preventing him from hitting on the day he was scheduled to pitch.

He bounced back as a DH against the Angels, racking up 6 hits and 7 RBIs in just 16 at-bats. Naturally, some wondered if he rejuvenated after the two-day break.

Ohtani, however, dismissed that idea, saying, “If anything, I had a good feel before pitching against the Giants.”

Interestingly, he’s currently on a six-game hitting streak, which started just before his appearance against the Giants.

Nonetheless, Roberts admitted that Ohtani does experience fatigue from pitching.

Before the opening game against the Padres, Roberts mentioned that Ohtani appeared “more energetic.”

But on a practical note: Ohtani had two hitless games last week, which might have helped that energy level.

Still, Roberts acknowledged that Ohtani would “probably” feel “a little tired” due to a bullpen session that day. In short, throwing a baseball can be exhausting.

The Dodgers seemed to fully back Ohtani’s dual-role efforts. Roberts, not feeling the need to offer extra support, said, “He’s a big boy. He’s going to be okay.”

General manager Brandon Gomez, speaking recently at Petco Park, reminded everyone that the Dodgers are navigating uncharted waters. Ohtani is now 32 and hasn’t been a full-time two-way player in three years.

“There’s no game plan,” Gomez stated.

Or as Roberts succinctly put it, “We all went into it knowing we had to read and react.”

Ohtani’s start on Wednesday might provide some clarity for the Dodgers. Ultimately, how he performs will influence how his journey unfolds.