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The story
Following reports that pitcher Shohei Ohtani is dealing with concerns in multiple areas — his left knee, right upper arm, and neck — that are affecting both his pitching and hitting, the US outlet FanSided has raised doubts about whether his two-way career can continue. The Los Angeles Dodgers have been managing the situation with scheduled rest days, but the article takes a harsh view, stating that “his physical peak has passed.” On 5channel threads, opinions were split between optimists citing his track record of defying repeated “limit” theories, and those frustrated that neither his pitching nor hitting is at full strength, calling for him to focus on just one role.
“Is it no longer possible?” Doubts emerge over Shohei Ohtani’s two-way future!? US media points out his “physical peak has passed”
Los Angeles Dodgers’ Shohei Ohtani is dealing with concerns in multiple areas — his left knee, right upper arm, and neck — that are affecting not just his pitching but his hitting as well.
While the team is managing the situation as best it can with scheduled rest days, the US outlet FanSided has taken a harsh view of his continuing as a two-way player.
Source: news.yahoo.co.jp / Original article here
What people said
Ohtani's problem is that it's hard to give up either pitching or hitting.
Even this year, his early-season pitching numbers were top class.
It's hard to tell a starter at that level to quit.
But he's also a top-tier power hitter.
Not just on the Dodgers — the best in the league.
Just keep throwing 10 pitches a day.
Never step into the batter's box again.
Until pretty recently, every pitcher in pro baseball used to bat too.
Acting all high and mighty, idiots.
Calling up a young guy would do more for the team's future.
Only the diehard fans are pretending not to notice.
The team's already said he'll keep doing two-way next season too — it's something only Ohtani can pull off.
I'm just here to enjoy it.
No intention at all of making the opposing pitcher work for it.
He's not good enough as just a pitcher or just a DH, so they gave him the two-way gimmick to compensate.
The team doesn't actually need him doing any of this, stealing bases included.
It's all just aimed at generating TV coverage.
Once he can't do that anymore, the old media will be in trouble.
He's boring enough as it is.
He's loaded, so he could just live off gambling like Mizuhara did. (referring to Ippei Mizuhara, Ohtani's former interpreter caught in a gambling scandal)
At this rate he won't be able to fulfill the contract.
He'll end up losing out on that contract money — serves them right, baseball nerds. ("yakibuta," 5ch slang mocking obsessive baseball fans)
Ohtani gets paid regardless of whether he does anything — that's just how the contract works.
Nah, even he's washed up now.
Have you seen him play live recently?
He probably couldn't even keep up with junior high schoolers.
In 2023 he won the home run title while still doing two-way.
Only if you just look at the numbers.
Way better than being the one getting farmed by scrubs.
Background and Key Points of This Discussion
Ohtani won the AL home run title and MVP in the same season back in 2023, putting up top-tier numbers as a two-way player. This season, though, he’s been in and out of action due to a combination of issues with his left knee, right upper arm, and neck. This “limit” theory comes from a single outlet, FanSided — neither the team nor Ohtani himself has said anything about giving up on the two-way role. His contract with the Dodgers was never conditioned on him staying two-way; the salary is guaranteed regardless of his pitching or hitting performance, so a slump doesn’t directly lead to the contract being voided. Where opinions on the thread diverged was over how much to trust his track record of repeatedly overturning “limit” theories in the past, and how the team itself views the burden of continuing both roles while carrying injury risk.
*This article is excerpted and summarized from the 5channel (Geinou/Sports News+) thread “[MLB] Doubts Emerge Over Shohei Ohtani’s Two-Way Future!? “Is It No Longer Possible?” — US Media Points Out His “Physical Peak Has Passed…”“.
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