No surgery is “not on the table” for Shohei Ohtani, according to Dodgers President of Baseball Operations Andrew Friedman. But don’t let that make you think everything’s calm and collected, because one L.A. Times opinion piece is seriously floating the idea of trading the modern Babe Ruth if he keeps pushing to pitch. Yeah, you read that right: a trade for Ohtani. Wild.
Ohtani’s Arm: A High-Stakes Standoff?
Bill Plaschke of the L.A. Times isn’t holding back, thinking the Dodgers should just stop letting Ohtani pitch. His take is blunt: if Ohtani insists on being a two-way player, maybe the Dodgers should consider trading him. That’s a nuclear option, right? It really shows the tension around Ohtani’s future on the mound. Ohtani himself isn’t shy about his pitching ambitions, either. He said he’s “Not quite satisfied with how things shaped up on the pitching side at the end of the year.” He added, “This year, I haven’t pitched and I haven’t pitched in the postseason. You know, I haven’t been able to really come to grips in terms of what I’ve learned overall this season. It’s something that I’m going to kind of go back to the drawing board in terms of treatment, training program. and see what I can come up with for next season.”
So Ohtani’s clearly focused on getting back out there in 2027. And in a twist, Bill Plunkett of the OC Register quoted Friedman saying the team is “excited that Ohtani will be returning to the mound in 2027.” It’s a head-scratcher. The team seems excited, but opinion pieces are talking trades if he insists on pitching? Something needs to get ironed out between Ohtani and the Dodgers about what’s best for everyone involved.
Aging Roster and Friedman’s Chill Vibe
Beyond the Ohtani drama, Maddie Lee from the L.A. Times points out something the Dodgers need to confront: their team is aging. Friedman, with his usual “don’t worry about it” attitude, basically shrugged off that concern. He’s apparently not worried about their owner Mark Walter’s financial troubles, or even the talk that their dynasty might be winding down. The guy just doesn’t sweat it. Gotta hand it to him, he’s consistently got that deprecating manner, always playing it cool.
Ken Rosenthal over at The Athletic also dropped an opinion piece, saying small market teams are officially out of excuses, implying only the big spenders make it to the postseason and the World Series these days. Good news for Dodger fans, I guess, who’ve gotten a lot of flak for the state of baseball.
What’s Next for the Dodgers?
So, what’s brewing for the Dodgers as they look ahead to 2027? They’ve got a whole offseason to figure out this Ohtani pitching situation, because that quote from him shows he’s not letting it go. It’s not just about a player’s arm, it’s about the direction of the entire franchise if they’re even considering a “nuclear option” like trading him. Plus, they’ve got to manage that aging roster. It’s gonna be a wild offseason for them.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by True Blue LA.
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