Zero chance that Shohei Ohtani will pitch in the World Series

There’s been a lot of buzz in the media swirling around the possibility of Shohei Ohtani pitching in the World Series. With the Dodgers squaring off against the Yankees, baseball fans are itching for some fireworks, and you can’t talk about fireworks without mentioning Ohtani. But if you’re waiting for the two-way phenom to take the mound in this Fall Classic, don’t hold your breath.

Ohtani underwent elbow surgery back in September 2023, and while he’s been steadily rehabbing, the idea of him pitching right now is a long shot, at best. In fact, it is longer than long. It is zero.

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts may have given fans a reason to dream earlier in the season when he hinted at the possibility of Ohtani making a playoff appearance on the mound. But those dreams quickly fizzled out. Roberts, along with the Dodgers front office, shut down that talk by the time the NLCS rolled around.

When asked if Ohtani could pitch in Game 6 or Game 7 of the NLCS, Roberts didn’t hesitate to give a blunt answer: “He is not. Thanks for asking.” So if you’re still wondering if he might suit up to pitch in the World Series, the answer is the same. He won’t be pitching.

It’s easy to understand why people want to see it happen. Ohtani is, after all, a rare talent, the kind of player who doesn’t just make you believe in the impossible - he makes you expect it. His ability to dominate both at the plate and on the mound has cemented his status as a generational player. But the fact is, he hasn’t pitched since August 2023. And no matter how much we’d love to see him come out of the bullpen for a high-pressure inning, he’s still in recovery mode.

Aaron Boone, the Yankees manager, is preparing for the unexpected, but even he doesn’t seem too worried about seeing Ohtani take the mound. When asked about the possibility, he simply said, “I haven’t given much thought to that, but if that’s the case, we’ll be ready for everything.”

The Dodgers might be keeping Ohtani’s status close to the vest, but the reality is that the road to recovery after elbow surgery doesn’t line up with making surprise appearances in the World Series. The surgery he had was designed not just to “repair the issue at hand,” but to ensure the long-term health of his elbow. Rushing him back to pitch, even for just one inning, would risk that future.

Sure, it’s fun to imagine Ohtani trotting out to the mound in Game 7, the stadium roaring, fans on the edge of their seats. But that’s a dream for next season. This year, he’s sticking to hitting, and he’s doing plenty of damage at the plate. Expect to see him swing the bat, but don’t expect him to take the mound. Not this time.

While fans, particularly the casuals who really don’t understand baseball, together with the media love to whip up a frenzy about Shohei Ohtani, the reality is that the chances of seeing him pitch in the World Series, even one inning, are zero.