Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Shohei Ohtani (17) throws to the Arizona Diamondbacks in the first inning at Chase Field in Phoenix on Sept. 23, 2025. Rob Schumacher / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani One of MLB's Best Starting Pitchers, Says Andrew Friedman

Originally posted on Los Angeles Dodgers on SI
By Patrick Warren | Last updated Sep 26, 2025 4:00 PM ET

Shohei Ohtani is on the brink of his first postseason in which he will both pitch and hit for the Dodgers.

Much speculation has swirled around how the Dodgers will utilize Ohtani's elite pitching and hitting abilities. While manager Dave Roberts has not yet revealed which pitcher will start for the Dodgers in Game 1 of the Wild Card round, it is looking increasingly likely that it will be Ohtani.

Ohtani made three starts in September, most recently an eight strikeout, zero earned run outing against the Diamondbacks on Sept. 23. Ohtani is not going to pitch again over the regular season, meaning he would be fresh for a Game 1 start on Sept. 30.

While Ohtani is almost guaranteed to be a starter for the Dodgers, there has been talk in and out of the Dodgers organization about whether Ohtani could be useful as a relief pitcher — especially given the disastrous season the Dodger bullpen has had this year.

Ohtani is game for starting, relieving or even playing in the outfield if it means giving the Dodgers a crack at a second consecutive World Series title.

"To Shohei's credit, he's like, 'Hey, I'm willing to do anything,'" Friedman told ESPN's Alden Gonzalez. "It really indicates how much he wants to win. I can't say enough for a star of that level to be so selfless in opening the door to whatever we think gives us the best chance to win — but I think he's one of the better starting pitchers in baseball."

The path to get Ohtani back into pitching shape was a long one, as the three-time MVP underwent surgery to repair a torn UCL in his right arm in September 2023. Nearly two years later, Ohtani made his return to the mound in June 2025, and has worked his way to longer starts over the course of the season.

Ohtani hadn't pitched more than five innings until his most recent outing, a positive sign that he's ready to make deep starts in the postseason.

"I think that we couldn't be more pleased with how it's played out," Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. "Obviously Shohei's the driver of this, but the training staff, the coaches have all done a great job kind of managing it. His teammates have done a great job of allowing for the different starts, the days in between. But looking at where we were at in spring training, to be here now, just overjoyed."