Uncomfortable Shohei Ohtani decision looms as Dodgers' injuries mount

As expected, the Los Angeles Dodgers are among MLB's elite teams to begin the 2025 campaign with a 16-8 record. They enter Wednesday's action just a half-game back of the first-place San Diego Padres in the NL West.

While the Dodgers have been winning games, they've also been bitten hard by the injury bug, particularly with their starting pitching. Blake Snell joined Tony Gonsolin, Clayton Kershaw, Emmet Sheehan and Gavin Stone on the IL with shoulder inflammation in early April, and that has left the team incredibly short-handed on the starting pitching front.

They're so short-handed, in fact, to the point where reliever Ben Casparius will start Wednesday's contest against the Chicago Cubs in what will be a bullpen game.

The state of Los Angeles' rotation has some wondering whether Shohei Ohtani might become a factor as a pitcher sooner rather than later.

State of Dodgers rotation could force them into uncomfortable Shohei Ohtani conversation

Ohtani missed all of last year as a pitcher while recovering from major elbow surgery, but is expected to be back on the mound at some point this season. The only question is when: A recent report from USA Today's Bob Nightengale suggested that Ohtani might not be back on the mound until around the All-Star break. Can the Dodgers afford to wait that long, though?

There are a couple of things they must consider when examining Ohtani's return as a pitcher. First and foremost, they must make sure he's 100 percent healthy before they even think of sending him back to the mound in a game that counts. Second, with Ohtani coming off a major injury, he only has so many innings in him. For a Dodgers team that has its eyes on repeating as World Series champions, is it really ideal to have Ohtani pitching much in the first half when he can prove to be a very useful piece as a pitcher in October?

Even with their injuries, the Dodgers should be able to get to the postseason whether Ohtani pitches or not. The team is too talented, especially with Ohtani's contributions as a hitter. With that in mind, it's really hard to justify doing anything now that will minimize what Ohtani might be able to do in October unless the season somehow spirals away from them.

As things stand right now, the Dodgers have Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Roki Sasaki, Tyler Glasnow and Dustin May healthy and ready to take the ball their next time out. The fifth spot is up in the air, but even if it means shuffling guys like Bobby Miller, Justin Wrobleski and Landon Knack in and out of that last spot or even turning to a bullpen game once in a while in May, that's probably better than not having Ohtani available as a pitcher in October.

Perhaps if the Dodgers somehow get even more beaten up on the starting pitching front they'll have to strongly consider using Ohtani earlier than they might want to, but as things stand right now, being patient with their unicorn is the best course of action, as frustrating as that might be for Dodgers fans to hear.