Shohei Ohtani’s offseason just became significantly more concerning for the Los Angeles Dodgers. The MLB superstar said it is “hard to tell” whether his lingering knee and biceps injuries will require offseason procedures, while also confirming that he plans to return to the mound next season.
Shohei Ohtani said it’s "hard to tell" if he’ll need knee or biceps surgery this offseason. He plans to pitch next season.
— Underdog MLB (@UnderdogMLB) October 16, 2026
That should be a terrifying development for the Dodgers. Ohtani is arguably the most talented player in baseball when healthy, but the 2026 season showed how hard it can be for his body to handle the demands of being an elite hitter and pitcher at the same time.
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Ohtani’s body appeared to break down late
The biggest concern is that Ohtani’s physical issues became increasingly obvious as the season progressed.
Ohtani missed significant time as a pitcher because of his left knee and right biceps problems, with his last start coming July 3. The Dodgers eventually shut him down from pitching for the remainder of the 2026 season, allowing him to concentrate exclusively on hitting.
There was also a troubling correlation between his pitching buildup and his offensive performance. After beginning a throwing program Aug. 8, Ohtani hit just .198 with a .690 OPS and 34 strikeouts.
That does not prove pitching caused his offensive decline. But the timing was certainly concerning.
Ohtani then struggled badly down the stretch. He hit .157 over his final 18 games as a designated hitter during the regular season, with no home runs and only one RBI. Those problems carried into October, as he entered the NLCS hitting just 3-for-20 in the postseason.
He finally broke through with a three-run homer in Game 4 of the NLCS, but he struck out three other times as the Dodgers were eliminated by Milwaukee.
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The Dodgers need to reconsider the two-way experiment
This is where the Dodgers have an enormous decision to make.
Ohtani is determined to continue pitching, and there is no questioning how special he was on the mound when healthy. He went 8-2 with a 1.79 ERA and 95 strikeouts in 85⅔ innings before his pitching season ended.
But what good is having Ohtani pitch if the additional workload eventually compromises the player the Dodgers need most in October?
The Dodgers signed Ohtani to be a historic two-way superstar, and there is no reason to pretend that his ability to pitch isn’t incredibly valuable. However, the 2026 season provided another warning that attempting to maximize both sides of his game could come with a significant physical cost.
The Dodgers should seriously consider making Ohtani a full-time designated hitter moving forward and removing pitching from his responsibilities.
That may sound absurd considering what makes Ohtani unique, but Los Angeles has already seen what happens when his body begins to break down. The team entered October with its best player managing multiple injuries, and Ohtani was not the dominant offensive force the Dodgers needed when the postseason arrived.
Ohtani has already proven he can be one of baseball’s best hitters and pitchers. The question now is whether his body can allow him to consistently do both.
If the Dodgers want to avoid another October where Ohtani is fighting through injuries and struggling at the plate, the smartest move may be to stop asking him to pitch at all.
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