Shohei Ohtani goesfive weeks without hittingand suddenly his entire being as a two-way player is under examination again.
About whether he should continue playing both ways in a season in which he turns 32. About whether he should become a full-time hitter.
The questions are being asked for a reason – the Dodgers have lost 10 of their last 17 games and Ohtani is on pace for a 27-homer season – but they also miss the point.
When the Dodgers signed Ohtani as a free agent, they entered the dream-chasing business. Championships were a part of that. But so was providing Ohtani with a platform to do something unprecedented in the sport’s history.
Which is why manager Dave Roberts might occasionally relieve Ohtani of his hitting duties on days he pitches but won’t entertain any major changes in how he is used.
Asked if Ohtani was more valuable to the Dodgers as a hitter or pitcher, Roberts replied, “I try not to get too far in the weeds on that. Because it’s moot. He’s gonna do both.”
Last year, Ohtani was second in the National League in home runs. The year before that, he was first.
This season? His 0.97 earned-run average is the best in the major leagues.
For years, baseball was criticized for lacking a star attraction, and now the sport has a former home-run champion who is a serious Cy Young Award contender. Why would anyone want to scale back his pitching?
Besides, he will figure out the hitting side.
Source: California Post – Breaking California News, Photos & Videos
