Dodgers' Roberts: Ohtani open to playing OF if elbow is healthy

Shohei Ohtani may add another position to his resume once his arm is back at full strength.

Ohtani will serve solely as a designated hitter in 2024 because of elbow surgery. However, Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts revealed Friday that the team and Ohtani talked about the two-way star playing the outfield late in the year, depending on the status of his elbow.

"There was even a little talk with Shohei about, come September, when he can pick up a baseball and throw, would he be open to taking some balls out there in left field," Roberts said Friday on The Dan Patrick Show. "And he said, 'If it works, and my arm feels OK, I'm open to it.' So we'll see, but we got a lot of time before we get to that point."

In his six-year MLB career, Ohtani's only made seven appearances as an outfielder - six games in right field and one in left. They all came during his first MVP season of 2021 with the Los Angeles Angels.

Ohtani last started a game in the outfield during his second professional campaign with Japan's Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters in 2014. He was a true pitcher/outfielder as a rookie with the Fighters, when he tallied seven outfield assists during 51 games in right field to go with his 13 starts on the mound.

Ohtani underwent elbow surgery this past September to repair a torn UCL. It was the second time he'd suffered the injury in the last five years. He refused to reveal what type of surgery it was, only saying that he wouldn't be able to pitch until 2025.

The Dodgers employed J.D. Martinez as a strict DH last year, only playing him in the outfield for three games.

Ohtani, 29, signed a historic 10-year, $700-million contract with the Dodgers after winning his second AL MVP title in three seasons.