Padres could still get burned by Dodgers’ looming Shohei Ohtani decision

The Padres shouldn’t celebrate if the Dodgers decide Shohei Ohtani’s pitching season is over. On the surface, removing him from Los Angeles’ pitching plans sounds like a gift. The Friars would gladly avoid a pitcher who went 8-2 with a 1.79 ERA across 14 starts before injuries disrupted his season.

Look a little closer, though, and the decision might benefit the Dodgers more than it hurts them.

Ohtani hasn’t pitched since July 3 because of recurring left knee soreness, with right biceps trouble and general discomfort further complicating his return. At this stage, there may not be enough time to rebuild him into a traditional postseason starter.

That changes a ton for LA. They wouldn’t necessarily be sacrificing a bunch of innings in the postseason. But they could be surrendering a smaller pitching role to give its most dangerous hitter a better chance of feeling like himself again.

Dodgers could prioritize the version of Ohtani they need most

The physical strain has started to show at the plate now. After his fourth strikeout on September 2, Ohtani shook his right arm and appeared uncomfortable. Manager Dave Roberts called it the “tip of the iceberg” after watching him struggle physically over the previous couple of weeks.

Since restarting his throwing program Aug. 8, Ohtani was hitting .204 with a .704 OPS through Sept. 3. The Dodgers haven’t directly blamed the throwing program for that drop, but they have made it clear that they cannot afford to compromise Ohtani’s offense.

If ending his pitching progression helps Ohtani regain some strength, balance and explosiveness, the Padres wouldn’t be facing a weakened Dodgers team. It would just be a healthier version of the hitter most capable of wrecking a series.

Losing Ohtani the pitcher would still hurt. But this LA we’re talking about. They’re one team uniquely equipped to absorb an injured Ohtani.

The Dodgers can still build a postseason rotation around Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Tarik Skubal, Blake Snell and Tyler Glasnow. That is an absurd amount of starting pitching even before considering whatever role Ohtani might have.

Shutting him down would remove one spectacular option. It would hardly leave the Dodgers scrambling for help.

Padres’ late Dodgers series could carry major playoff consequences

San Diego visits Dodger Stadium from Sept. 22-24 for Los Angeles’ final home series of the regular season. The Padres then return home for three games against the Diamondbacks to close the schedule.

That is what makes this Ohtani decision more complicated than it appears. The Padres might avoid seeing him on the mound. They could still draw one of four premium Dodgers starters while dealing with an Ohtani whose body is no longer being pushed through a pitching comeback.

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