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The Los Angeles Dodgers got a glimpse of the fullest potential that Shohei Ohtani can bring to the table on Tuesday night.
There was never a question that the three-time MVP wouldn’t be able to deliver sensational moments during his tenure in LA, but Ohtani tossed five hitless innings against the Philadelphia Phillies and would later hit his 50th home run of the season to try and return a lead that was blown the inning after he exited the contest.
After the game, Dodgers Nation’s Doug McKain reported that Ohtani said to Japanese media that he would be willing to make another position change if it means helping his team win, and that would be potentially playing in the outfield in order to keep his bat in the game if he were to make an appearance in relief.
Back in Nippon Professional Baseball, Ohtani made 62 appearances in the outfield. As a member of the Los Angeles Angels, he made seven appearances in the grass during the 2021 campaign.
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“I’ve been having various conversations with different people, and that topic has come up as well,” Ohtani said in Japanese in a rough translation to English. “That applies to the mound, and possibly even the outfield. If I end up going as a reliever, then depending on what follows, there could be situations where I also need to play defense in the outfield. So no matter what situation arises, I want to make sure I’m prepared to handle it.”
There have been many whispers recently regarding Ohtani pitching out of the bullpen this October, and especially after what the bullpen did in response to Ohtani’s five no-hit innings, there is certainly a case to be made.
When manager Dave Roberts was asked about the prospect of moving Ohtani to the outfield, he seemed receptive to the idea.
“He’s a great teammate. He wants to help us win a championship,” Roberts said. “So I’m all about it.”
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Photo Credit: Katie Stratman-Imagn Images
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