Why Dodgers reloaded rotation is best in baseball even without Shohei Ohtani

Shohei Ohtani watch remains ongoing.But, suddenly, the two-way star’s pitching status no longer feels like a pressing question in the Dodgers’ three-peat quest.That’s the mood that has developed around Chavez Ravine in recent days.At least, thanks to the club’s acquisition of Tarik Skubal at the trade deadline two weeks ago and Blake Snell’s dominant return from injury on Tuesday.Now, the team knows it should have three ace-caliber arms leading its rotation for the stretch run of the season, between Skubal, Snell and Yoshinobu Yamamoto.

They might soon have a fourth, as well, with Tyler Glasnow making progress in a minor-league rehab assignment.“It’s coming together,” manager Dave Roberts said.“Very excited.”That doesn’t mean the Dodgers don’t want Ohtani to get back to pitching, too.They remain optimistic about the progress he is making from a knee injury that has kept him out of their starting rotation since early July, and prevented him from throwing a bullpen session for the last three weeks.The difference now, however, is that Ohtani’s health is no longer hanging over their season like a dark, stormy cloud.If he can get back to full-length starts, great. If he’s only able to throw a few innings at a time in October, they’ll take it. And on the off chance he doesn’t come back at all as a pitcher this year, no sweat.Barring other unforeseen injuries over the final couple months of the season, the Dodgers would still have the most dominant starting pitching group in this year’s playoffs. “I still feel, just his health is kind of the main thing anyway,” Roberts said of Ohtani.

“Regardless of having Skubal or not, or having Snell back, you still have to treat him individually as what is best for him.”Exactly what the Dodgers can expect out of Ohtani as a pitcher the rest of this year remains unclear.The right-hander has played catch three times in the last week, a positive sign after he was shut down from throwing on th...