The Los Angeles Dodgers are the team everyone loves to hate—and for a reason that now involves baseball's biggest superstar, Shohei Ohtani. While the Dodgers' deep pockets have long made them a target, the latest gripe from MLB general managers is a bit different: they're reportedly frustrated that Ohtani gives L.A. an unfair roster advantage.
Under current rules, teams are limited to 13 pitchers on a 26-man roster. But because Ohtani is a two-way player, he doesn't count toward that limit. That effectively gives the Dodgers 14 pitchers—a subtle but significant edge that other teams don't enjoy. As USA Today's Bob Nightengale reported, GMs want the freedom to build their rosters however they see fit, especially now that the pitch clock has already sped up the game. The original rule limiting pitchers was designed to cut down on pitching changes and game length, but with the clock in place, that concern has largely been addressed.
It's easy to see why this stings for rival front offices. The Dodgers are already loaded with star power, and any competitive advantage—no matter how small—feels magnified when you're chasing them in the standings. But let's be real: Ohtani is a once-in-a-generation talent. The benefits of having him on your roster are going to be unique, and that's part of what makes him worth every penny of that $700 million contract.
Is the rule unfair? Maybe. But finding a perfect fix that doesn't penalize a player for being extraordinary is no easy task. For now, the Dodgers will keep doing what they do best—winning, spending, and giving the rest of the league plenty to talk about.
