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Shohei Ohtani should not pitch again this season, according to Tim Plaschke at the Los Angeles Times. Plaschke’s argument centers on what the Dodgers learned last season: they need Ohtani as an offensive force, not as a pitching sensation. With the rotation they have in place, the team can win it all again without him taking the mound down the stretch.

Ohtani’s dual role has been complicated by ongoing injury management. A knee issue and bicep concerns have already delayed his return to the pitcher’s mound this season, and the team has been cautious about his workload. The organization made adjustments to his pitching plans earlier in August as these injuries lingered. Ohtani’s value to this team is undeniable as a hitter—his presence in the lineup transforms the offense—but asking him to shoulder pitching duties while nursing injuries creates unnecessary risk, especially with October looming.

The Dodgers’ pitching staff is deep enough to handle the load. Between Tarik Skubal, Tyler Glasnow, Blake Snell, Eric Lauer, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, and Roki Sasaki, plus the collection of solid relievers in the bullpen, the team has the arms to make a postseason run without Ohtani’s contributions on the mound. That’s a luxury—and a fact—the front office shouldn’t ignore.

The smart play here is straightforward: keep Ohtani healthy as a hitter. Let him be a full-time DH or corner outfielder if his knee allows it. The knee is the real concern, and that needs monitoring regardless. But from a pure roster construction standpoint, pitching from Ohtani this late in a season where injuries have already cost him time doesn’t move the needle the way a healthy, focused Ohtani at the plate does. Plaschke isn’t wrong on this one.

Source(s): Tim Plaschke (Los Angeles Times) | First reported: August 30, 2026 10:30 AM UTC

God Bless and Go Dodgers