Rumors about the Dodgers possibly using Shohei Ohtani out of the bullpen are starting to spread. And that’s not staying within the foul line; rather, going into Hollywood chatter. Ohtani has spent the season as part of the Dodgers’ rotation while also holding down the designated hitter spot. But ESPN’s Alden Gonzalez reports that come October, his role could shift.

With how shaky the Dodgers’ bullpen has been, it might not be the worst idea. In Tuesday’s game against the Diamondbacks, L.A.’s relievers gave up five runs in the final three innings. Yet that might not be enough to have everyone on board. Like Parks and Rec actor Rob Lowe made it clear he doesn’t think Ohtani should be used out of the bullpen in the postseason.

“He just homers to give them the lead, goes around home plate… He’ll high-five everybody, then hop out of the other end and run out to the bullpen,” Eisen agreed. It’s definitely a challenge that Ohtani might face in pitching in the bullpen and then again coming to the batter’s box. Yet, why are the Dodgers risking his workload?

It all comes back to their bullpen woes.

As NBC LA’s Michael J. Duarte points out, the Dodgers’ relief squad has blown 26 saves this season. And according to Fangraphs, they’ve also recorded 96 meltdowns, the most in franchise history. Currently, with a 4.28 ERA, this group is having the sixth-worst season ever for a Dodgers bullpen. And that’s pretty shocking considering they’ve got names like Blake Treinen, Tanner Scott, and Kirby Yates in the mix.

In contrast, the Dodgers aren’t exactly short on starters. With Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Blake Snell, Tyler Glasnow, and Emmet Sheehan in the rotation, the team could realistically lean on Ohtani in relief. Even though nothing is concrete till now, it feels less like an experiment and more like a response to the Dodgers’ bullpen’s urgent struggles.

The Dodgers’ bullpen planning goes beyond Ohtani

Just on the eve of the postseason, the only concern for the Dodgers is their bullpen. And not only Shohei Ohtani but a few other names from the starting rotation are considered for the relief role.

The first rumored name is Roki Sasaki. Starting Wednesday, he’s reportedly set to join the bullpen after being activated from the 60-day injured list, according to manager Dave Roberts. And to clear a spot, the Dodgers placed Kirby Yates back on the IL for the third time this season, this time with a hamstring strain.

The timing makes sense because September has been rough. The Dodgers are just 10-10 this month, with their starters putting up an impressive 2.28 ERA, while the bullpen has stumbled to a 6.18 ERA. So, with the rotation going well, the plan is to use Sasaki’s power sinkers and fastballs out of the pen.

Then there’s Clayton Kershaw. In what would be his final run, there’s talk that he might also shift to the bullpen for the postseason. Now, with the Dodgers running short on options, it wouldn’t be a surprise if Kershaw’s last October story gets written from the bullpen mound.