Ohtani's Role for Dodgers: Pitching vs. Batting in Postseason
Exploring Shohei Ohtani's postseason role with the Los Angeles Dodgers: Will he pitch, hit, or do both? Insights on strategic use in key games. Stay tuned!
Video Transcript
I got to talk to you about Otani here, okay?
So it looks like he's starting to throw a little bit more.
We just asked George Kurtz this question.
I'll get your thoughts on it.
Do you believe that it's going to be more important for Dave Roberts in the postseason for Otani to be on the rubber, or do you think it's going to be more important for him to be at the dish as they get into the postseason?
That's such a loaded question.
That's- I, I heard you when you asked him.
That, that is, that is such a loaded question, just so you know.
Like, I'm And I'm a pitcher, so, like, I wanna, I wanna sit here and tell you pitcher.
But I did lis- listen to George's answer, and he is right.
They do have a phenomenal staff with or without Otani in that rotation.
So yes, I could see where you're saying that I wanna put him at the plate.
If you only get one or the other, you put him at the plate.
I do understand that.
But let me say what I think that they can do is use him out of the bullpen, right?
And I know that's, that's I'm circumventing the answer.
I'm saying, "Oh, let him hit and throw out of the bullpen."
But in the playoffs, that's what I'm doing.
I'm not working Otani into the starting rotation.
I've got him set for my guy who just doesn't have it that day.
So if you go out there and you, you let two of the first three base runners on, I'm pulling you out and putting Otani in because we don't have time for you to work through it.
It's the playoffs.
But if I only got to pick one, I think George is right.
I'd put him at the plate.
Do you agree, though, for Dave Roberts?
When you wanna go out and try to win a World Series, you're looking for the ability to be able to have something where you wanna be able to have options.
And- Yes the Dodgers need options.
Do you not agree?
'Cause you can make a comment about their middle relief.
They were talking about even maybe adding Chapman at the trading deadline, so maybe they were even looking down with that lane.
Can you imagine that if that guy landed there- I know with a screwball, you, you might as well just said, "Forget about it," give them the trophy here.
But aren't you looking for options, Cab, when you're Dave Roberts, when you get into the postseason?
Because the options, I think that's what beat Toronto last year was the fact that he had options on what he did in his pitching rotation.
I agree completely.
And, this brings me back to what I was saying about the, the playoffs are not the time to work through it.
If you walk somebody, if you, if you, if you, if you give up a leadoff hit and then you walk somebody, you got a couple people on, I'm not letting you work through that.
I'm not seeing what happens on that fourth or fifth hitter.
I'm moving on.
I'm moving on to my next pitcher.
And that's where it's like if you've got somebody in the bullpen like Otani, who is arguably the number one pitcher for pretty much every team in baseball, and now he's not even in your starting rotation and he's coming out of the bullpen for you.
I mean, that, that's, that's how good this team is that the Dodgers have built.
You know, that's another conversation.
But it's, it's just ridiculous if I'm being honest.
