Shohei Ohtanis mound absence has contributed to Dodgers bullpen problems

The forecast was optimistic.Provided that Shohei Ohtani doesn’t experience any setbacks from his 34-pitch mound session on Friday, he will throw another bullpen session or two, after which will face hitters a couple of times in simulated games.“Then,” manager Dave Roberts said, “I would see him in a major league game.”Ohtani’s potential return to pitching has to be a welcome development for the Dodgers, who are being reminded what it’s like to not have the two-way player in their rotation.Ohtani last pitched in a game on July 3, but that’s only part of the problem.His absence from the mound has forced the Dodgers to reduce the number of relievers on their active roster from eight to seven, which in turn has contributed to their firemen resembling arsonists in many of their recent games.“Essentially,” Roberts said, “all of our relievers are overworked right now.”The predicament in which the Dodgers now find themselves explains why they are as supportive as they are of Ohtani’s efforts to pitch again.Because of Major League Baseball’s roster rules, when Ohtani is pitching, the Dodgers have an edge over other teams that can be, well, Ohtani-sized. Ohtani is expected to spend the remainder of the regular season gradually building up his arm strength, and that will limit the degree to which the Dodgers will be able to benefit from the Ohtani Rule.However, his status as a pitcher could provide them with a massive advantage in future seasons, which is why they need him to remain a two-way player for as long as he can.Ohtani playing both ways will influence not only how the Dodgers construct their rosters but also how their players perform.As was the case this year.Here’s why: From opening day to Aug.

31, teams must have 26 players on their active roster.Of them, as many as 13 of them can be pitchers.(Rosters expand to 28 players on Sept.

1, with the maximum number of pitchers increasing to 14.)Since Ohtani is classified as a two-way player,...