The New York Yankees pitchers will face the challenge of dealing with Shohei Ohtani in the 2024 World Series, however, the Yankees hitters will not see the two-way superstar on the mound. Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts has firmly shut down the possibility of Ohtani pitching against the Yankees in the Fall Classic, stating that there is no possibility at all.
Ohtani’s last pitching appearance was in August 2023 before undergoing Tommy John surgery to repair a UCL tear in his right elbow. This was the second time Ohtani had undergone this surgery, with the first being after his debut season in 2018. The doctor who performed the surgery expects Ohtani to return to pitching in 2025.
Despite leaving the door slightly ajar for Ohtani to potentially pitch during the playoffs, Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman later stated that it was not really an option for Ohtani to pitch in 2024. Ohtani, a two-way star, boasts a career 3.01 ERA over 86 starts and in 2023 had a 3.14 ERA with 167 strikeouts and 55 walks in 132 innings.
The highly-anticipated 2024 World Series between the Yankees and Dodgers has garnered much attention as fans hoped to see Ohtani face off against New York’s sluggers. However, it seems that this showdown will not materialize as Ohtani’s pitching appearance in the World Series has officially been ruled out.
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