Dodgers Shohei Ohtani reveals no chance he pitches in playoff run

Shohei Ohtani is still injured, and he doesn’t expect that to change between now and whenever the Dodgers are finished playing this year.His acceptance of this reality shouldn’t be mistaken for submission. Ohtani said he can play through the discomfort in his right arm and left knee.He said he will overcome his current physical limitations by making changes to his swing.“With some creativity, I think I can make up for what’s not right,” Ohtani said in Japanese.

“Another way to say it is that it’s an opportunity to create new ways to compete.”The question isn’t about his intent.What’s unknown is whether what he said is even possible.What does he plan on doing, teach himself how to hit on one leg with one arm?Ohtani played on Monday for the first time in five days and was 0 for 3 with a walk in a 6-3 win over the Cincinnati Reds at Dodger Stadium.Striking out twice, he was about as non-threatening as he was the last time he played.

Circling his forearm after fouling off a pitch in the seventh inning, he looked as physically compromised as he did last week.Picturing this version of Ohtani as an offensive contributor in the playoffs feels unrealistic, but it’s not as if the Dodgers have a choice but to let him try to figure out something.Their offense isn’t the same when he’s not producing. Besides, if anyone can do the unthinkable, it’s Ohtani, who became a two-way player in the major leagues when the odds were believed to be stacked against him.He’s not afraid to fail, and he’s not ashamed when he does.Which is why he said he didn’t regret his attempt to return to the mound this season, even though it’s almost certainly responsible for his diminished physical state.“If there was a chance I could contribute on the pitching side, I think September was the time to throw with that goal in mind,” Ohtani said.

“I think we went for it at the appropriate time. “The result of that was a feeling that this season didn’t go well...