AL West pitcher says Dodgers wouldn't 'miss a beat' without Shohei Ohtani amid MVP debate

The Los Angeles Dodgers have been struggling a little bit lately, as they've dropped a few series in a row, but this Colorado Rockies series has helped them course-correct.

But one of the main storylines for the Dodgers right now is Shohei Ohtani, his MVP race this season against Pete Crow-Armstrong, and his potential return to the mound. It's a heated MVP debate without Ohtani pitching, including some MLB players.

According to Jesse Rogers of ESPN, one AL West pitcher, Mark Leiter Jr. of the Athletics, said that the Dodgers would not "miss a beat" if Ohtani weren't in the lineup, amid his defense of PCA as the NL MVP this season.

Dodgers wouldn't 'miss a beat' without Ohtani, per Mark Leiter Jr.

"One plays elite defense. The other doesn't play the field. If you take Ohtani out of the rotation, they don't miss a beat. And if you take him out of the lineup, I still don't think they miss a beat," Leiter said.

This is an incredibly bold take from Leiter. Saying that the Dodgers wouldn't lose a step if Ohtani were not a part of the team, considering he's one of, if not the best, players in baseball, is a wild claim to make.

The Dodgers pitching staff should be fine without Ohtani, as they're stacked. But that's only at full health, which is certainly not the case right now.

Similarly, the offense might be able to operate at a top-tier level without Ohtani, but with Kyle Tucker in an all-time terrible slump, Will Smith hurt, and others not playing as well as normal, Ohtani's bat would be sorely missed in the L.A. lineup.

Leiter Jr. might have a point about the major difference in defensive value, as that's a massive reason why PCA is legitimately in this MVP race with Ohtani despite the Dodgers' two-way superstar putting up CY Young numbers to begin the year.

MORE: Dodgers update on Shohei Ohtani pitching again has major MVP implications

But to claim that the Dodgers wouldn't miss a beat without Ohtani as a way to discredit his MVP consideration is a bit too ridiculous.

If Ohtani weren't playing at all for the Dodgers this season, there might be a realistic chance that the San Diego Padres or Arizona Diamondbacks catch them for the NL West lead. The Dodgers might have the division lead, but it would be a lot closer than it is now.

This claim from Leiter is incredibly bold, and likely a step too far. Crow-Armstrong deserves to be in the MVP conversation, and he has a realistic chance to win the award over Ohtani thanks to his elite defense and with Ohtani not returning to the mound.

But using the Dodgers' ability to play at a high level without him, thanks to their superteam roster construction, as a reason to discredit Ohtani's MVP consideration doesn't make sense and would be a lame reason to choose the 2026 MVP.

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