Times sportswriter has unhinged Shohei Ohtani take after Dodgers fall short of World Series

For the third straight year, the Los Angeles Dodgers were swept and fell short of the World Series, losing to the Milwaukee Brewers. In the wake of the defeat, Los Angeles Times columnist Bill Plaschke pointed to a familiar scapegoat: Shohei Ohtani’s two-way role. Plaschke argued Ohtani’s continued pitching is a “detrimental charade,” citing late-season injuries, a slump tied to changes in chase rate and swing-and-miss, and the team’s October offense—.195/.267/.323 overall, including a .116 average with runners in scoring position. The key debate is whether Ohtani should stop pitching to focus solely on hitting.