Los Angeles Angels two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani had a season for the ages in 2021. Ohtani finished second in the majors in homers with 46 while pitching to a 3.18 ERA with 10.8 strikeouts per nine innings. He took home the American Legue MVP award. The Japanese star emerged as one of the faces of baseball while wowing fans with his incredible feats on the field. While his 2021 season was awe-inspiring, it was possible largely due to Ohtani's availability. The AL MVP appeared in a full season of games- 150 or more contests played- for the first time in his four-year career in the big leagues, excluding the pandemic-shortened season. Ohtani has dealt with a series of elbow injuries, such as Tommy John surgery, which he underwent back in 2018. Given how scary these pitching-related injuries can be- and how talented Ohtani is- it's in the best interest of the Angels to prioritize his health. There is one way, admittedly a bold strategy, that the Angels can get the most out of Ohtani while still making sure he stays healthy.
Why The Angels Should Make Shohei Ohtani A Full-Time Hitter And Closer
2. It would maximize Shohei Ohtani's two-way abilities
There's no denying that Shohei Ohtani is one of the league's best hitters and pitchers. The man hits 450-foot home runs and throws 100 MPH on the radar gun. He's too valuable a player in both areas to make him a full-time hitter or pitcher. Why limit him to closing out games? It's simple. Ohtani ranked fourth in the majors in the statistic runs created, which measures a player's overall contributions on the offensive side in terms of total runs. Basically, there weren't many hitters more valuable than Ohtani. There's an argument that he's more valuable as a hitter than a pitcher. Why not maximize his abilities as a hitter while still getting value out of him as a pitcher? Ohtani's elite strikeout ability is made a for a relief role, plus there aren't many closers out there who have an arsenal like the Japanese star, who throws five pitches. He would immediately be a lockdown closer. Los Angeles already has Raisel Iglesias to work the ninth inning, though he could potentially be utilized as a trade chip to help the club improve in other areas. Meanwhile, Ohtani could keep on being one of the game's best pitchers while remaining arguably its most valuable hitter.
1. It would help keep Ohtani healthy
The Angels are constantly worrying about how best to keep Ohtani well-rested and healthy. They've managed his innings, they've shifted his days of rest around, and they've given him days off. Before the 2021 season, the 27-year-old had pitched less than 55 innings in the big leagues in four years. Clearly, he is a bit of an injury risk as a pitcher. Fortunately for the Angels, they can maximize his workload by having him close out games. For comparison, Los Angeles closer Raisel Iglesias tossed 70 innings this past season. A closer's workload would be far less taxing for Ohtani than that of a full-time starter. The Angels could use Ohtani primarily as a designated hitter while having him pitch twice a week when he works the ninth inning. It would undoubtedly be tough to remove Ohtani from the rotation, though the Angels are clearly a better team when he is on the field. This bold strategy would ensure that Ohtani has the best chance of being available.
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