No, Shohei Ohtani is not going to pitch in the World Series.
Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts told reporters Thursday that there was ‘no possibility’ the likely 2024 NL MVP will take the mound against the New York Yankees in the Fall Classic.
Recovering from elbow surgery last fall, Ohtani was never expected to pitch in 2024 but his return kept being floated in the media as the Dodgers approached October, requiring Roberts and others to speak vaguely about the matter.
But on the eve of the World Series, Roberts laughed at the inquiry – after a reporter joked that it was his ‘turn to ask the annoying question.’
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Said Roberts: ‘There is no possibility (of him pitching). None whatsoever. Thank you for asking.’
Ohtani, 30, is expected to get back to pitching in 2025, the second season of his 10-year, $700 million deal with the Dodgers. He was seen throwing off a mound in August for the first time since his surgery. He made 86 starts for the Angels from 2018-2023, posting a 3.01 ERA and finished fourth in 2022 AL Cy Young voting.