The Los Angeles Dodgers may have made a mistake by trying to let Shohei Ohtani pitch again.
Ohtani made 14 starts in the first half, posting a 1.76 ERA in 14 starts. He went at least six innings in all but one start and was legitimately one of the best starting pitchers in baseball. However, he received a lubricating joint injection in his knee over the All-Star Break and was given some time off from pitching. He was also dealing with some biceps discomfort.
Despite the knee and biceps issues, he was still the frontrunner for National League MVP at the end of July. However, in August, the Dodgers made a mistake that perhaps cost them their season. On Aug. 8, Ohtani started a throwing progression, trying to get back on the mound. From the start of July to Aug. 7, Ohtani had a .944 OPS, so he was still looking like the star fans had grown accustomed to.
However, from Aug. 8 on, he had a .666 OPS. The Dodgers eventually decided he should not pitch again and placed him on the injured list after his injuries continued to bother him.
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The Dodgers should never have tried to get him back on the mound. They would have made the postseason regardless since he did not pitch anyway, but they might have prevented his offense from falling off a cliff by putting extra strain on him and keeping him from properly healing.
The Dodgers did not need him in the rotation, especially after adding Tarik Skubal. He, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Tyler Glasnow and Blake Snell were a phenomenal rotation for October. By trying to get Ohtani back in the mix, the Dodgers cost themselves an elite hitter.
Ohtani did not blame his injuries for his slump to end the season, but it was clear something was holding him back. It’s no coincidence that his slump began when he started throwing again. What the Dodgers should have done was give him some time on the injured list when he first reported the injuries.
Hindsight is 20-20, but Ohtani was not much of a helpful player offensively down the stretch. They could have been fine without him for a few weeks in August, and potentially had a dominant version of him in October.