"Maybe we have a different opinion because he is a one-way player" - MLB analyst weighs possibility of Shohei Ohtani's full-time hitter transition

Shohei Ohtani, the two-way sensation of the Los Angeles Dodgers, has captivated the baseball world with his remarkable abilities to play both as a hard hitter and a dominant pitcher. However, this season, the possibility of a full-time transition to a hitter role has sparked debate among analysts and fans.

Prominent MLB analyst, Ken Rosenthal has weighed in on Ohtani’s future in today’s interview on 'Foul Territory'.

“He needs to do both pitching and hitting because that way he does not get that obsessed with one side. Well, I think now maybe we have a different opinion because he is a one-way player this season, and my goodness, it has been unbelievable to see what he has done offensively” said Ken Rosenthal to Alanna Rizzo of Foul Territory.

Last August, Ohtani got injured in a game against the Cincinnati Reds after throwing 26 pitches. Later, it was revealed that he had injured his elbow ligament and that he had to go through Tommy John surgery. He was told that he was not fit to pitch this season and would not fully recover until 2025. Later, when he was transferred to the Dodgers this season, he was moved to the role of a designated hitter.

According to another MLB analyst Bob Nightengale, sources have informed that Ohtani is likely to move to a permanent hitting position if the Dodgers ask him to do so. It was also said that Ohtani prefers batting over pitching. This was quite understandable since he has only appeared seven times as a pitcher since 2021.

Moreover, the Dodgers’ decision to move Ohtani to the permanent batter position could be because they wanted him to get fully healthy or they do not want to stress him by putting him in a position that is prone to injuries.

However, Rosenthal thinks that Ohtani’s move to a permanent hitter will be beneficial and is possible since his performance as a DH has stunned everyone.

Ohtani had hit his 17th multi-homer season and had hit a total of 11 home runs. The most distance a hit has traveled from his bat this season is 464 feet.

Shohei Ohtani’s pitching progress

Los Angeles Dodgers fans received positive news about Shohei Ohtani's recovery. Pitching coach Mark Prior shared an update on Ohtani's throwing program, highlighting "steady progress”.

"We haven't gotten too intimate on the pitching side other than starting the initial throwing program, and we'll see where he gets to by the end of this summer. Hopefully, by playoffs he's up on the mound and starting to face some hitters." said coach Mark Prior as per SiriusXM.

In a practice session, Ohtani had thrown about 70 pitches from a distance of 50 feet (about 10 feet less than a normal MLB pitch).

While a 2025 pitching debut remains the expectation, Mark Prior emphasized Ohtani's increasing intensity and expressed confidence in his rehab.