Shohei Ohtani pitching in playoffs? Dodgers say odds for return 'not zero'

Los Angeles Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani is having another historic year, closing in on MLB's first-ever 50-homer, 50-steal season.

As good as he is at the plate, his pitching is also electric, but he hasn't taken the mound this year as he recovers from 2023 elbow surgery.

So as Los Angeles closes in on another postseason berth, is there a chance Ohtani could be on the mound in a crucial spot?

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts hasn't ruled out that possibility, saying there is "not a 0% chance."

"Anything's possible," Roberts said this week. "This is something that is a long-term play. We still have a lot of work to do to get to October and through October. I hope that's on his mind, as far as motivation for his rehab. The odds of it coming to pass are very slim, but they're not zero."

The Dodgers pitching staff currently has been hit hard by injuries this year, with Tyler Glasnow, Clayton Kershaw, and Gavin Stone among the starters currently on the IL.

Ohtani, meanwhile, is batting .290 with 47 home runs, 104 RBIs, and 48 stolen bases this season for Los Angeles, who have a 4.5-game lead in the NL West over the Arizona Diamondbacks.

"We all have to feel very confident that the buildup, that the stress of pitches, that he'll be able to handle the cost-benefit of him potentially doing something like that," Roberts said. "We'd all have to be in lockstep, and it's got to make complete sense. Right now, for me, it's just keeping his head focused on hitting, going through his rehab process. If that situation presents itself down the road – and, again, this is a long way down the road – then we can have that conversation."

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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Dodgers say Shohei Ohtani's odds as playoff pitcher 'not zero'