ATLANTA – The door may not be completely closed for Shohei Ohtani to throw a pitch this season, but the chances of that door opening remain quite slim.

The Los Angeles Dodgers and Ohtani had ruled out any possibility of the two-way superstar playing in games sometime in 2024 after he underwent hybrid Tommy John surgery and an internal brace last September. They maintained that statement as recently as last month, when Ohtani’s rehabilitation had progressed to the point where he could throw from the mound again.

But manager Dave Roberts, in an interview with MLB Network Radio on Friday, opened the door at least a little to an extreme scenario in which he could potentially play for the Dodgers in October.

“This is a long-term game,” Roberts said Friday when asked about those comments. “We’ve got a lot of work to do between now and October and beyond. I hope he has (the playoffs) on his mind as far as his motivation for his rehab. But the chances of that happening are very slim. But they’re not zero.”

They remain extremely unlikely. Ohtani threw his first bullpen session on Aug. 24, and it’s “at least a couple of weeks” before the Dodgers would even discuss the possibility of Ohtani facing batters in simulated games. The original plan to sideline Ohtani for the winter after the postseason begins would be moot, and even the possibility of abbreviated appearances would require a long postseason run.

“Never say never, but I think for something like that to happen, we probably have to get deep into the playoffs,” said Mark Prior.

And then there’s the commitment: The Dodgers signed Ohtani to a record-breaking 10-year, $700 million contract last winter, giving the club an incentive to preach patience with its new superstar.

The Dodgers already have enough questions about their pitchers, including newly signed star Tyler Glasnow, who had to leave his simulated game early after suffering a setback with his injured right elbow during warmups. His chances this postseason remain slim, as the Dodgers’ current October rotation appears to consist of Jack Flaherty, a not-yet-fully-developed Yoshinobu Yamamoto and plenty of questions behind them.

“Saying no to something and closing the door completely may not be the wisest decision,” Roberts said. “Again, it leaves a small, small, tiny possibility open. I think that’s appropriate for the situation.”

If anything, it’s a positive reflection of Ohtani’s rehabilitation, which came in the midst of a historic season – one that included only the sixth 40-40 season in major league history and a real chance to become the first 50-50 player ever by year’s end.

“Obviously,” Prior said, “things are going smoothly for him.”

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(Photo: Ronald Martinez / Getty Images)