Los Angeles Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani has accomplished just about everything a baseball player could hope to accomplish in 2024. He became just the sixth player ever to join the 40/40 club – hitting 40+ home runs and stealing 40+ bases in a single season. He then became the first-ever player to join the 50/50 club. He’s a lock to win his third-career MVP and will become the first-ever designated hitter to win the award. And he owns the most famous dog in the country.
The only thing Ohtani has failed to do this season is pitch. The two-way star is recovering well after undergoing Tommy John surgery last September. However, the Dodgers opted to play it safe and shut down the pitching aspect of Ohtani’s game during the regular season.
Still, fans held out hope that Ohtani might return to the mound for the Dodgers during the playoffs. It’s now safe to say that option has been shut down. Dodgers GM Brandon Gomes said he doesn’t anticipate the seven-year veteran pitching in the postseason, according to The Athletic’s Fabian Ardaya on X.
Shohei Ohtani won’t add pitching to his list of 2024 accomplishments for the Dodgers
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LA finished with the best record in baseball and earned a first-round bye. The team will play the winner of the Wild Card series between the Atlanta Braves and the San Diego Padres. Despite the extra bit of rest Ohtani will receive thanks to the Dodgers locking down the top seed in the National League, he won’t return to the mound until 2025. Considering the team signed him to a 10-year, $700 million deal prior to the start of the season, it was likely wise to protect their investment.
While focusing his full energy on DHing, Ohtani led the league in home runs (54), RBI (130), OPS (1.036), OPS+ (190) and bWAR (9.2). He also added 59 stolen bases while being caught stealing just four times and he led all of baseball with 134 runs scored.
