Dodgers President Slams MLB Rule Blocking Critical Shohei Ohtani Postseason Move

Shohei Ohtani is up against an unexpected foe this postseason, and it’s not other batters or base runners. It’s the MLB’s Rule Book limiting his two-way skills. The same skills that become his signature now face regulatory handcuffs just when the Dodgers need him to be as flexible as possible to retain their World Series crown. And the president is calling it a foul!

The Dodgers’ postseason plan was to utilize Ohtani’s two-way skills. But MLB Rule 5.11(b) makes things a little complicated for Dave Roberts. As per the rule, a two-way player can open a game as both the starting pitcher and the designated hitter (DH). The two-way player can stay in the game as the DH even after he stops pitching if he starts on the mound. Sounds simple, right? But here’s the twist: If Shohei Ohtani pitched in relief and then left the mound, he would lose his DH role protection and would not be able to stay in the lineup as a bat.

Emphasizing exactly that, when the Dodgers president Andrew Friedman slammed the MLB rule while talking with the LA Times. He said, “I think they missed the mark with it.” When asked if he was frustrated by the phrasing of the two-way rule, Friedman stated, “I think the rule was put in place to try to encourage people to do it, to incentivize people.” “So, yeah, I think they missed.” He wants to change the rule to include relief appearances. However, he also said that “that’s more of an offseason, future thing”, and “it’s not reasonable for us to ask for that in-season.”

So why does this matter right now? As they head into the playoffs, the race in the NL is very close. They have good starters—Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Blake Snell, Tyler Glasnow, and Emmet Sheehan. The bullpen blues are real: Their relief, on the other hand, has had trouble. Late-inning pitchers like Blake Treinen and Tanner Scott haven’t been reliable.

Using Shohei Ohtani in the bullpen is appealing as it offers options if starting performances struggle or if the matchup requires it. But, current rules require removing his bat from the lineup, which can pose challenges for the Boys in Blue.

Numbers don’t lie about Ohtani’s dominance. On both ends of the ball, Ohtani’s 2025 season has been nothing short of spectacular. Since he started pitching again after missing the whole 2024 season because of surgery on his arm, he’s dominated on the mound. He has pitched 36 innings and has a 3.75 ERA, 49 strikeouts, 8 walks, and a 1.19 WHIP. And at the plate? #17 has a batting average of roughly .281, has walked almost 100 times, hit almost 50 home runs, and has an OPS of almost 1,000. He can be a two-way threat; the Dodgers have unique roster flexibility that other teams can’t match.

While his postseason situation remains skeptical, his latest performance against the Phillies continues to shine both at the mound and at the plate.

Shohei Ohtani, firing 101 MPH, keeps the Phillies quiet through five & hits his 50th homer

After ten days of rest, Shohei Ohtani was back on the mound on Tuesday against the Philadelphia Phillies. Dave Roberts said before the game, “Today is a good test. It’s a very well-prepared offense. A lot of those guys are veteran hitters; they’re gathering information, potentially, for a rematch. There’s a lot of left-handed hitters in the lineup. It’s a good test.” 

Ohtani pitched five innings without giving up a hit in his first game, needing only 68 pitches. He threw his fastball with an average speed of almost 100 mph, starting with a four-seam that hit Kyle Schwarber in the face at 101.7 mph. He walked Bryce Harper but didn’t let anyone else score, getting the last 13 batters he faced out.

Well, not only on the mound, his two-way skills were also on display with his bat. In the 8th inning, just when the situation was very tight and pressure was on the Dodgers, the unicorn hit his 50th homer of this season in the deep right field of 430ft. Ohtani is now one of only two players to hit 50 home runs in two straight seasons while also pitching at that time. Ruth pitched thrice in 1920 and twice in 1921. Ohtani has started 12 games this year until Wednesday.

This game was a perfect display of what this Japanese sensation is capable of doing. His ability to not only throw five no-hit innings and contribute with hitting shows exactly what the Dodgers need in October.