The decision is partly a matter of comfort, with Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto accustomed to pitching essentially once a week dating back to their time in Japan. It also factored prominently, the Dodgers believe, into their ability to land phenom Roki Sasaki this winter — like his countrymen, Sasaki is used to pitching on a once-per-week schedule.

Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani qualifies as a two-way player in the eyes of MLB despite being unable to pitch in 2024 thanks to a change in the eligibility rule. The Athletic's Fabian Ardaya and Ken Rosenthal confirmed a player can now get two-way status on the basis of his usage over the past two seasons.

The Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani threw off flat ground Wednesday, the latest sign that his return to pitching and a two-way role is approaching.