Shohei Ohtani, the two-way star for the Los Angeles Dodgers, posted a 1.79 ERA as a pitcher but managed just five hits in 26 postseason at-bats. One Dodgers analyst believes the path forward requires a radical shift in how the team uses its star as the Dodgers face an uncomfortable choice: keep Ohtani as a two-way star or unlock his full potential as a hitter.

The Brewers’ NLCS sweep eliminated the Dodgers from World Series contention, forcing the organization to reassess Ohtani’s role. Doug McKain (@DMAC_LA), a Dodgers personality, said in this Thursday night episode of Dodgers Dugout.

“So I will take it to my grave. I will die on that hill. If the Dodgers had the best version of Shohei Ohtani, the hitter, like we saw last year, they would have beaten the Brewers. They would have won the World Series,” McKain said.

The sweep revealed a struggling batter who had lost his form. Ohtani hit ‌just .160/.284/.253 in 88 plate appearances following August 18, striking out ten times in October. His Game 4 three-run shot was his first long ball in 26 games.

Two-way players historically struggle with workload management. Ohtani’s June knee injury, followed by poor hitting, suggests the dual role may have contributed to his decline.

Ohtani offered a more measured perspective following the loss. According to MLB.com, Ohtani responded through interpreter Will Ireton.

“Yes, definitely. And looking forward to having a better season next year,” Ohtani said.

His ERA stood at 1.79 with a .179 opponent batting average over 85 2/3 innings, and only Jim Palmer, Jacob deGrom, and Clayton Kershaw have a lower ERA than Ohtani in their careers.

However, Ohtani’s pitching durability became a concern when knee problems emerged on June 11, and over his next four starts, he allowed 12 earned runs in 24 2/3 innings after allowing just five in his first 61.

Ohtani has started and ended an MLB season as a two-way player only twice, in 2021 and 2022. Injuries derailed him in 2018 and 2023, with elbow problems in both seasons.

McKain took this logic further during the same Dodgers Dugout broadcast by saying, “If getting the best version of Shohei Ohtani the hitter means he’s a one-way player, then that’s what’s best for the Los Angeles Dodgers.”

The argument gains weight because the lineup, not the rotation, sank this club. The Dodgers have a .148 batting average with runners in scoring position during the NLCS. They were out-homered 7-1, and their catcher, Will Smith, went 3-for-31 in the postseason.

However, the pitching record remains valid. Dodgers’ right-handed Tyler Glasnow and left-handed Blake Snell threw only 116 2/3 innings during the regular season, while Yoshinobu Yamamoto is the only pitcher qualified for the rotation.

The rotation picture could shift again this winter. Tarik Skubal, the left-handed pitcher acquired at the deadline, might depart in free agency, leaving Yamamoto and the unpredictable Ohtani to lead a rotation already short on innings.

The Dodgers are well aware of this dilemma. According to Katie Woo of The Athletic, Andrew Friedman, the president of baseball operations, commented before the playoffs that Ohtani’s historic position takes a great toll on the organization.

“What he’s doing is unprecedented, and it takes a real toll,” president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman said before the postseason. “It’s unprecedented for all of us, and we’re kind of feeling our way through it together.”

There might be another way. The Dodgers could rest Ohtani for several months before ramping him up to full participation, even though there is still uncertainty about the surgery he may need for a knee or biceps injury.

Timing is key. Ohtani turns 32 soon, has seven years remaining on his deal, and the Dodgers need him healthy for the playoffs, not just April.

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