Shohei Ohtani 'Not Sure' If He Can Pitch in Playoffs; Will Discuss Plan with Dodgers

Los Angeles Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani, who has not pitched this season after undergoing Tommy John surgery last September, was asked after his team's 11-9 road loss to the Miami Marlins on Tuesday if he felt he could physically pitch in the playoffs.

Per ESPN's Alden Gonzalez, he "gave a wry smile" and then said: "I am not sure."

It appears there is an ever-so-slight chance for Ohtani to pitch. Manager Dave Roberts said the chances are "very slim" but "not zero," per Gonzalez, who added this insight as well:

"Ohtani has been intermittently throwing bullpen sessions and could face hitters soon. He and the Dodgers' pitching coaches have not talked about him contributing off the mound in the playoffs, a circumstance that might not even be possible until the World Series. But Ohtani said they'll all meet when the team returns to L.A. this weekend to discuss the rest of his rehab schedule."

Ohtani pitched five seasons for the Los Angeles Angels (2018, 2020-2023). He went 38-19 with a 3.01 ERA (1.08 WHIP) and 11.4 K/9 rate. His best pitching year was 2022, which resulted in a second place finish in the American League Cy Young race. Ohtani went 15-9 with a 2.33 ERA (1.01 WHIP) and 219 strikeouts in 166 innings. Last season, Ohtani was 10-5 with a 3.14 ERA (1.06 WHIP) and 167 strikeouts in 132 frames.

The 30-year-old could obviously be a massive boost to the Dodgers' pitching staff whenever he returns. Ultimately, it seems far-fetched that he could return in any capacity during the playoffs given the typical Tommy John surgery timeline (12-18 months), but it would be a huge win if he's able to at least appear in the bullpen in October.

If not, then the Dodgers will still benefit from his tremendous offensive output as he searches for the first 50-50 season in MLB history. Through Tuesday, Ohtani leads the National League in runs (119), home runs (48), RBI (110), slugging percentage (.611), OPS (.982) and total bases (359). He also has 48 stolen bases.

L.A. is a near-lock to make the playoffs and looks primed to win the NL West, so Ohtani should be making his postseason debut in short order. For now, though, the Dodgers still have to lock in their berth while the Japanese star simultaneously chases history.