Dodgers' Mark Prior Can 'Absolutely' See Shohei Ohtani as a Reliever in MLB Playoffs

Shohei Ohtani has never pitched out of the bullpen in his MLB career, but the Los Angeles Dodgers are keeping the option open for the postseason.

Appearing on Wednesday's episode of The Dan Patrick Show, Dodgers pitching coach Mark Prior said he can "absolutely" see a scenario when Ohtani is used in relief during the playoffs.

After working with an injury-depleted rotation for an extended period earlier this season, the Dodgers find themselves overflowing with starting pitching. Blake Snell's return from the injured list earlier this month gave them six healthy starters.

Assuming health for any pitcher is a risky proposition, but that's especially true for the Dodgers. They have used an MLB-high 27 pitchers this season, including 16 who have started at least one game.

If the Dodgers enter the postseason with their pitching staff intact, manager Dave Roberts will have to move some of his starters into a relief role. Yoshinobu Yamamoto is most likely to start a Game 1, followed by Snell and Glasnow.

Clayton Kershaw, both by performance in 2025 and respect for his entire career, could be in line for any potential Game 4. He has a 3.01 ERA in 15 starts this season.

Ohtani has made nine starts since returning to the mound in June after undergoing elbow surgery in September 2023. The three-time MVP had his longest outing in his most recent appearance, throwing 80 pitches in 4.1 innings against the Los Angeles Angels on Aug. 13.

That also happened to be Ohtani's worst outing of the season with four runs allowed on five hits.

Given that some of Kershaw's success this season could be attributed to smoke and mirrors—he has the fourth-lowest strikeout rate (5.68 per nine innings) among 145 pitchers with at least 70 innings—building in a potential multi-inning bridge option isn't a bad idea.

The Dodgers also figure to need as much help out of the bullpen as they can get in October. Their relievers enter play on Wednesday ranked 20th in MLB with a 4.17 ERA. Alex Vesia and Jack Dreyer are the only relievers on the roster with a sub-3.40 ERA who have appeared in at least 30 games.

Using Ohtani in relief would require a very specific plan because he's also going to be in the lineup as a hitter. Roberts would have to send him to the bullpen right after a plate appearance ends in which he doesn't get on base.

The Dodgers would also have to hope that the lineup doesn't turn over while Ohtani is warming up, because he would have to stop throwing in the 'pen and take an at-bat.

Ohtani does have experience pitching out of the bullpen. He famously closed out Japan's 3-2 win over the United States by striking out his then-Los Angeles Angels teammate Mike Trout for the final out of the 2023 World Baseball Classic championship game.

However the Dodgers go about handling this whole thing, this October does seem like the first chance we will get to see Ohtani use his two-way talents on the postseason stage since he arrived in MLB in 2018.