Atlanta Braves pitching legend John Smoltz expressed a clear opinion regarding Shohei Ohtani pitching role after injury, emphasizing that the Los Angeles Dodgers star should return as a starting pitcher rather than in a closer capacity. This stance came amid growing discussion about how Ohtani will be deployed after recovering from his recent injury.
On Sunday, Ohtani took part in a live batting practice session at Citi Field before the Dodgers’ series finale against the New York Mets, marking his first appearance throwing in a Dodgers uniform since spring training. This preview sparked curiosity about how and when Ohtani would resume his pitching duties during the regular MLB season.
John Smoltz Advocates for Controlled Starting Outings Over Closer Role
Smoltz, a former Cy Young Award winner, shared his viewpoint during a guest appearance on the Flippin’ Bats with Ben Verlander podcast, underscoring the importance of structured pitch sessions for Ohtani’s comeback. He stressed that using Ohtani as a closer immediately after injury could be detrimental due to the unpredictable nature of the closer role.
“Let’s just say he wasn’t coming back from an injury and it was just time off they gave him, it would be a little bit more tempting to put him in a closer’s role,” Smoltz said Thursday (5:38). “But because he’s coming off an injury, you need structured and controlled outings that you know what you’re going to get.”
—John Smoltz, Former Pitcher
Smoltz further explained the challenges the closer position poses for a player returning from injury, highlighting the uncertainty and game-to-game variability inherent to that role.
“It would be a disservice to him based on coming back from this injury because you would have to designate games, and those may not work as a closer, right?” Smoltz said (5:52). “There’s a lot of unknown in the closer’s role that I just don’t think coming back from an injury would benefit him.”
—John Smoltz, Former Pitcher
Having shifted roles himself during his career—from a dominant starter for the Braves to a successful closer—Smoltz understands how such transitions impact performance and recovery.
Ohtani’s Rare Experience as a Closer in High-Stakes International Play
Throughout his career, Shohei Ohtani has predominantly been a starting pitcher, building impressive records both in Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball and Major League Baseball. However, he has an uncommon but notable save on his résumé from a clutch international appearance.
During the 2023 World Baseball Classic final, Japan’s manager Hideki Kuriyama entrusted Ohtani with closing the game against the United States. Entering the ninth inning to replace Yu Darvish, Ohtani faced a tense situation with the championship on the line.
After walking Jeff McNeil, Ohtani recovered by inducing Mookie Betts into grounding into a double play. Then, with two outs remaining, he struck out Mike Trout—his former teammate on the LA Angels and the Team USA captain—to secure Japan’s victory and earn his only career save.
The Importance of Preserving Ohtani’s Role for Longevity and Impact
Ohtani’s versatility as a two-way superstar makes his pitching role particularly critical for the Dodgers’ success. Smoltz’s recommendation aims to ensure that Ohtani’s recovery is carefully managed, prioritizing consistent and predictable pitch workloads to reduce the risk of reinjury.
As speculation continues about Ohtani’s pitching schedule, the lessons from his past usage and Smoltz’s firsthand experience suggest the Dodgers will likely prefer to reintegrate him gradually as a starter. This approach may help maintain Ohtani’s effectiveness at the mound while maximizing his long-term contributions to the team.