The timing couldn’t be better for the Dodgers to finally get their prized rotation back on track after dealing with injuries. Shohei Ohtani is healthy again, Blake Snell has returned, and now Roki Sasaki is on his way too. But with all these arms available, the big question becomes: who stays in the starting rotation, and who shifts to the bullpen?

While initially it was Clayton Kershaw, Tyler Glasnow, Roki Sasaki, Blake Snell, and Yoshinobu Yamamoto who featured in the starting rotation, the return of Ohtani to his two-way role is what reshuffled the rotation. It is already reported that the Dodgers are thinking about pulling Kershaw to make space for Ohtani. But what about Sasaki then?

Manager Dave Roberts just dropped a hint about how they might handle the young Japanese star moving forward.

“He’s going to be flying in today & he’s going to be sitting down with all of us that make decisions… Whether it’s getting ready for something to happen here in a starting role or changing a role, it should all be on the table,” Roberts said.

Well, on Tuesday, Sasaki turned in his best outing yet across five rehab starts with Triple-A Oklahoma City. He struck out eight over 4 2/3 innings against Sacramento and didn’t give up a run until the fifth. But things unraveled with two walks, a hit batter, and a couple of hits that brought three runs across. Still, his stuff looked sharp, and for the first time in months, his fastball really had life.

So, if he had looked this sharp in his very first rehab outing, the Dodgers probably wouldn’t be sweating this decision as much as they are now. But as it stands, there’s still no guarantee he’ll be called back up to the majors.

And if Sasaki does return, it’s almost certain to be out of the bullpen, as hinted by Roberts. The Dodgers could really use the relief help. And with the rotation packed, especially with Ohtani back in full swing, it’s hard to imagine Sasaki bumping anyone out of a starting role.

The Dodgers could also have Ohtani in the bullpen

Baseball is all about surprises, and when it comes to the Dodgers, we don’t know what will come next. For example, there are rumors that Ohtani could also be placed in the bullpen!

Come October, the Dodgers won’t need a ton of starting pitchers. And if they ever entertained the idea of Shohei Ohtani stepping into a closing role, it could set up some of the most electrifying moments in playoff baseball. Yes, the team hasn’t hinted at using him out of the bullpen. But with so many arms coming back from the injured list, the thought of Ohtani blasting a go-ahead homer and then slamming the door in the ninth doesn’t feel as impossible as it once did.

If you remember, the last time fans saw Ohtani close was on the biggest stage, the World Baseball Classic final. Notably, he struck out none other than Mike Trout to secure Japan’s third title in tournament history. Now, if the Dodgers went down that road, it could even open the door for Roki Sasaki to snag a spot in the rotation.

Either way—whether it’s Sasaki, Kershaw, Ohtani, or all of the above—the Dodgers’ pitching staff looks poised to be downright scary once October rolls around.