Dodgers' Dave Roberts reveals next pitching plans for Shohei Ohtani

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5 hours ago

The post Dodgers' Dave Roberts reveals next pitching plans for Shohei Ohtani appeared first on ClutchPoints.
Two years ago, the Los Angeles Dodgers signed Shohei Ohtani to a record-breaking 10-year, $700 million contract. Then, $680 million was deferred for a decade, with Ohtani earning $68 million yearly for the next decade. The contract was record-breaking and unique because he is a 'unicorn' with what he can do on a baseball field. He is the best hitter in the MLB and has also shown the ability to be among the best pitchers.
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The Dodgers were able to absorb Ohtani's absence from pitching last season due to elbow surgery, and he still won his third MVP award. He finally returned to the mound in a recent game against the San Diego Padres, where he started, but only pitched one inning. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts was easing Ohtani back into pitching and decided to play it safe, and only had him go out to pitch once. The Athletic's Fabian Ardaya, who covers the Dodgers, said that Roberts told the media that he expects Ohtani to pitch against the Nationals on Saturday or Sunday, depending on how he looks in a bullpen session upcoming.
Ohtani dominated behind the plate last season with the first-ever 50-50 season with 54 home runs and then 59 stolen bases, culminating in his third MVP award. He did all of this without stepping on the mound once.
The Dodgers' talent on the mound allowed them to be extra cautious with his recovery, and neither Ohtani nor Los Angeles needed him to rush back out on the mound. However, now that he's back to pitching, adding that extra level to his game will make him even more dangerous.
At 44-29, Los Angeles is third in the NL behind only the New York Mets and Chicago Cubs. The difference between the Mets and the Dodgers is 1.5 games. Adding Ohtani to the mound does two things: it makes the Dodgers more dangerous while also helping a pitching staff that has dealt with its fair share of injuries in the first half of the season.
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The Dodgers now have this extra dimension with the best player in baseball in their back pocket, which should scare everyone in the MLB. Ohtani is best behind the plate, but he's still great as a pitcher, so gently moving him back to pitching is the best thing the Dodgers can do moving forward.
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