New MLB Rule For 2022 Will Have Major Impact On Angels’ Shohei Ohtani

Major League Baseball and the MLB Players Association have agreed to multiple rule changes, according to the New York Post’s Joel Sherman, and one figures to have a significant impact on Los Angeles Angels two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani.

Here’s how Sherman described the rule change Tuesday:

In addition, the deal also essentially has a Shohei Ohtani rule with the designated hitter becoming universal in the new collective bargaining agreement. The new rule stipulates that if the starting pitcher is also hitting in the lineup, then that player remains as the DH even if he is pulled from the start. Thus, if Ohtani, say, pitched five innings, he would still hit through the entire game. This rule is for the life of the new CBA, not just for 2022 and the hope is to promote more two-way players.

Ohtani, the reigning American League MVP, is coming off a season in which he slashed .257/.372/.592 with 46 home runs, 100 RBIs and 26 stolen bases 639 plate appearances across 155 games. He also, of course, shined on the mound, posting a 9-2 record with a 3.18 ERA, a 1.09 WHIP and 10.8 strikeouts per nine innings in 23 starts (130 1/3 innings).

The Angels had been more cautious with how they deployed Ohtani during his first three seasons in the United States upon coming over from Japan. But manager Joe Maddon and company really took the training wheels off in 2021, largely because Ohtani was such a two-way force. The 27-year-old batted on days when he pitched — despite playing in the AL, which had the designated hitter — and remained in the lineup as Los Angeles’ DH on days when he didn’t.

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The problem on days when he pitched was that the Angels either needed to remove him from the lineup entirely once they dipped into their bullpen or shift him to another position, which actually paved the way for Ohtani to appear in the outfield (seven games, 8 1/3 innings) last season.

Now, assuming MLB owners ratify the agreed upon rule changes, the Halos won’t need to worry about that latter scenario. They simply can start Ohtani on the mound and keep him in their lineup for the duration of the game as the DH. Simple as that.

This obviously makes life easier for the Angels, while simultaneously making life more difficult for opposing teams trying to navigate LA’s lineup. But it ultimately should be viewed as a win for baseball fans. After all, who doesn’t want to see more Ohtani?