Shohei Ohtani once expressed his mindset towards high-pressure situations: “It’s actually an honor to feel the pressure because that means there’s a lot of expectations.” Embracing this philosophy, something is brewing on the West Coast. It’s quiet, pre-planned, and certainly not what fans anticipated after the offseason fireworks. No big reveals yet—just a strange silence, like the calm before a postseason thunder.

Behind closed doors, Ohtani is doodling with a master plan. Not one pinched for April or even July—but for the pressure cooker of October. And now, thanks to a key insider leak, we’re finally beginning to see the blueprint.

Let’s get straight to the heart of it—Ken Rosenthal, one of MLB’s most valuable insiders, just confirmed what many were starting to suspect: the Dodgers are being “intentionally deliberate” with Shohei Ohtani’s pitching return. We now know this is not your regular rehab story. There are deeper tactics at play, ones that straight out far beyond the next bullpen session or his first start on the mound. For Rosenthal, “The goal: to get Ohtani ready for the postseason”. That one sentence overturns the entire conversation.

And here’s the thing, Shohei Ohtani has not pitched a bullpen since February 25. That’s not a delay, it is a calculated decision. The Dodgers could easily push him. They have the resources, the medical team, and the bulldoze from fans. But they’re not biting. Instead, they are placing every chip on one square: October. Why? Because they’re not running behind wins in June—they are chasing banners in November. It is not about being superior all season. It is related to being unbeatable when it counts the most.

What backs up this deliberate patience is what Ohtani is doing without touching the mound. Just days ago, he flipped a walk-off home run against the Braves, leaving Dave Roberts nearly speechless. “You just feel that he’s going to do something special“, Roberts said. “He is in the attack zone and when he does that, there is just no one better.” That’s not hype. That is a manager observing a superstar dominate—and knowing he has not released his full arsenal yet.

So how does this all come together? Simple. The Dodgers are securing time on the mound because they’re already exploiting at the plate. Ohtani’s plate discipline has been elite—he is not pressing, not chasing, and penalizing mistakes. It is not just a luxury. It is part of the blueprint. Keep the bat hot, preserve the arm, and when the lights get brightest in October, see him shine.

This is not some impulsive hope that Ohtani will “figure it out” mid-season. The Dodgers are rephrasing how you handle a unicorn, and they’re doing it with their fixed gaze on a single prize: back-to-back World Series crowns. Punchline? They don’t need him to pitch right now—they just need him ready when it matters most. Now that the hype has settled from that jaw-dropping insider take, it begs a serious question, How is the team actually built to handle this?

Dodgers safety net without Shohei Ohtani on the mound

If their two-way superstar will not touch the mound, what is carrying the rotation together in the meantime? It turns out, the solution isn’t reliant on a single pitcher—it’s about a robust rotation strategy. Enter Yoshinobu Yamamoto, who has started the 2025 season impressively with a 1.69 ERA and 19 strikeouts over his initial outings. Then there’s Tyler Glasnow, who, in his debut for the Dodgers, pitched five scoreless innings with eight strikeouts. Both were acquired with an understanding of Ohtani’s postponed pitching schedule. The team isn’t just deep; it’s brimming with potential dominance. This isn’t a stopgap measure—it’s a well-thought-out plan.

The timing? Deliberately astute. The Dodgers understand that the goal isn’t merely to endure the 162-game season but to peak during the playoffs. Consider how the Astros utilized Justin Verlander or how the Nationals managed Stephen Strasburg in 2019. Ohtani’s prowess is envisioned as the Dodgers’ trump card for October, rather than a workhorse for April. As he maintains an OPS exceeding .950 at the plate, the team can afford this patience. They’re not just aiming for regular-season victories—they’re orchestrating a strategic endgame.

With a rotation ERA of 1.90 and a WHIP of 1.14 in the early stages of 2025, the Dodgers have transformed Ohtani’s absence from a setback into a strategic advantage. This isn’t merely about managing player workload—it’s about meticulously crafting a championship-caliber team.

The Dodgers are betting big on 3 P-patience, power and postseason perfection. And with Ohtani fully locked in at the plate, the team is right on schedule. However, will their October-first approach pay off? What do you think, does LA need to go all-in on this gamble? Is the wait too risky?