Love watching Shohei Ohtani take the mound and crush a homer in the next inning? What if more players could play both ways — pitch and hit? No, there isn’t another two-way phenom yet. However, there is a $170M arm on the Red Sox who just became the first pitcher to reach 250 strikeouts in 2025 — and he’s now suggesting MLB rethink the game.

That arm? Garrett Crochet, who signed a six-year $170M deal in 2025 with an opt-out after 2030. This season, he has had an 18-5 record with a 2.59 ERA and 255 strikeouts in 205.1 innings. His steady performance and dominance on the mound were crucial to Boston’s rotation, helping them win important games late in the season and ensuring the Red Sox made the playoffs after a four-year absence.

In a candid interview, Crochet revealed his surprising wish if he were commissioner for a day. “I wouldn’t mind bringing back pitchers hitting. I think that’d be fun,” he said. When asked about his potential batting performance, the humble ace admitted, “Not well, but I want a shot. That’s my end goal would be, to just get one shot.” His preferred opponent? “A position player,” Crochet responded, smiling.

Do you know that before 2022, all NL games required pitchers to bat? The DH rule, introduced to the AL in 1973, eliminated this customary aspect of baseball strategy. Then, in 2022, MLB implemented this rule throughout the league. This adjustment was made by Commissioner Rob Manfred, who standardized the regulation across both leagues.

Crochet’s idea might sound fun, but it could reshape how teams approach player development.

If it comes into action once again, the league could see more players like Shohei Ohtani, who is a two-way star. In 2021, the Angels made Shohei Ohtani the second batter in the batting order as a starting pitcher. This was a historic moment, as it showcased the rarity of possessing both exceptional pitching and hitting skills.

So, eliminating the DH could lead teams to develop players who can play both positions, making rosters more versatile and enhancing athletes’ overall skills. MLB has already acknowledged the value of two-way players through rule adaptations.

Even though MLB got rid of the conventional pinch-hitter for pitchers, the new “Ohtani rule” (2022) lets a starting pitcher who is also a designated hitter keep batting after he leaves the mound. In effect, such a player is treated as two separate “spots” on the lineup card — one as pitcher, one as DH. This way, when he leaves the field, he doesn’t lose his spot as the hitter.

And Shohei Ohtani is not only ruling the league but also making history with his hitting and pitching.

The two-way horizon, Shohei Ohtani leading the charge

With his two-way skills, Shohei Ohtani is rewriting history in baseball. He not only pitches well, but he also hits huge home runs. Ohtani hit his 54th home run of the season on September 25. This tied his own franchise record for the most home runs in a single season and helped the Dodgers win their division. That deep hit into the right-field pool helped the team win 8-0.

Well, there’s more! On September 17th, against the Phillies, he became the first player in MLB history to reach 50 home runs and 50 strikeouts in a single season. He has an ERA of 2.87 across 47 pitching innings. And on September 23, 2025, he pitched six scoreless innings, striking out eight batters and giving up five hits and no walks.

The Japanese phenomenon is likely to begin Game 1 of the Wild Card Series, which is tentatively scheduled for September 30, 2025.

It’s not certain if MLB will go along with Crochet’s idea. His approach, on the other hand, raises interesting questions about how to preserve classic aspects of baseball while encouraging new ideas in player development and strategic gameplay. What do you think? Is it a great idea?