Dave Roberts had a huge problem this season: The bullpen. The issue became so serious that it sparked some wild ideas, like Shohei Ohtani could come late in the game to save the games if needed, or even pitch in a relief role. Ohtani himself even suggested pitching in relief and playing in the outfield. This left us wondering if the Dodgers will actually try it, especially in the late season when the problem was so glaring that it cost them back-to-back series against the lowest-ranking teams like the Orioles and Pirates. Now, we finally have an answer.

The Dodgers finished the regular season with a 93-69 record and secured their 12th NL West title in 13 years. Then, the Boys in Blue swept the Cincinnati Reds in the Wild Card Series and traveled to Philadelphia, where they won a tough Game 1 against the Phillies. So, with the division series heating up, the question about Ohtani’s role was getting hot.

The speculation reached a fever pitch after seeing the Dodgers use two other starters, Tyler Glasnow and Roki Sasaki, in the bullpen. So, when asked about using Ohtani as a starter in Game 5, Dave Roberts had a simple answer. “If it goes the distance, he would be, yes.”

Following that, USA TODAY’s Bob Nightengale reported that “Shohei Ohtani will pitch Game 5, if necessary, and will not be available in relief.”

So, the debate is finally over, and the Dodgers are sticking with the traditional plan for their superstar. But what solidified that decision?

Ohtani’s brilliant postseason debut on the mound as a starter in a hostile Philadelphia ballpark.

He pitched six strong innings, giving up three runs while striking out nine batters. He allowed all three runs in the second. But after that, it was tempting to see how the three-time MVP settled in beautifully and retired 15 of the final 17 Phillies he faced. Following that, Roberts confirmed his ace would be saved for a potential do-or-die Game 5 start if necessary, shutting down any bullpen talk.

It’s a massive decision about a player who didn’t pitch in all of 2024 and finally returned to the mound in June from his second major elbow surgery. The Dodgers carefully managed his workload all season, and in 14 regular-season starts, Shohei posted a 2.87 ERA and struck out 62 batters in just 47 innings.

So, with Ohtani off the table, is the Dodgers’ bullpen issue solved?

Not exactly. Instead, Dave Roberts has used a strategy that bypasses his regular relievers in the biggest moments.

In Game 1 against the Phillies, Ohtani started, Tyler Glasnow pitched in relief, and rookie Roki Sasaki closed the game; his starters recorded 26 of the game’s 27 outs.  This “starters as bullpen” approach seems like the new blueprint, and it’s a shocking transformation for a manager known for pulling starters early.

Throughout the season, the Dodgers’ bullpen was a disaster, ranking near the bottom of the league with a 4.27 ERA.

Roberts now has other starters like Emmet Sheehan and the legendary Clayton Kershaw ready to pitch in relief if necessary. He’s improvising to cover the team’s most glaring weakness and building their bridge to the ninth inning, where they have effectively used Roki Sasaki.

After an inconsistent start to the season, he returned from injury and once again touched 100mph with his fastball and recorded his first career save in Game 1 vs the Phillies. 

And of course, we can’t ignore Ohtani’s workload and the mental challenge of his two-way role.

While Ohtani the pitcher was brilliant in Game 1, Ohtani the hitter struggled and went 0-for-4 at the plate with four strikeouts. Roberts even suggested the mental focus of his first playoff start likely affected his hitting. And if Shohei Ohtani didn’t overcome those challenges, the Dodgers could miss a bat that was hitting 55 home runs with a .282 batting average and 102 RBIs at the plate.

Ultimately, the Dodgers have made their choice, and they will rely on Ohtani as a starting pitcher and use a “starters as bullpen” strategy in the postseason. It’s a high-risk plan that puts immense pressure on their starters to be nearly perfect and go deep almost every game they will play in the postseason, and it’s not going to be easy at all.