Dodgers flirting with another Shohei Ohtani disaster

The article argues that the Dodgers risk repeating a costly mistake if they let Shohei Ohtani pitch and hit throughout the 2027 season without stronger workload limits. General manager Brandon Gomes has not announced a plan to delay Ohtani’s pitching, and suggests the club will involve him in deciding how to manage a full season.

Ohtani’s knee and arm problems worsened during this year, ending his pitching before the All-Star break and affecting his batting by mid-July. He hit .192 in the postseason, with one extra-base hit, as the Dodgers’ season ended against Milwaukee in the National League Championship Series. The article notes that 2022 was the last time he completed a full season as both hitter and pitcher, and argues the club should take greater responsibility for protecting his health.