Shohei Ohtani is having an outstanding offensive season and is a leading candidate for the 2025 National League MVP while also ramping back into pitching with 27.1 innings and a 4.61 ERA. Dodgers pitching coach Mark Prior said the idea of using Ohtani in the bullpen during October has been discussed but is constrained by MLB rules that prevent a player from starting as DH, entering as a reliever, and then returning to bat. The practical bullpen window would be for final outs or when the team accepts that Ohtani would no longer hit. A postseason relief appearance or save would be a rare, historic moment for a future Hall of Famer.
It's really understanding the rules of him coming in as a reliever and knowing that because of the rule and the way it's set up right now as a starter, he can come out of the game and still maintain as a DH. But he comes in as a reliever, you got to find that line of where the game is because you can't have him come in in the sixth and then take him out as a pitcher in the seventh and then keep him as a DH.
It would have to be a situation where we think the game is over and he's closing, or be okay with him not hitting anymore. That would be really the only scenario. Can I see it? Absolutely. But it would probably be closer to the back end when the game's kind of on the line and it would be over after he's done.
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