News Article
Published
Oct 16, 2026 at 01:51 PM EDT
Now that he's completed his third season with the Los Angeles Dodgers without his third World Series ring, Shohei Ohtani can look ahead to 2027.
The two-way superstar was enjoying his best season on the mound before the Dodgers shut him down from pitching in July due to knee and biceps injuries. Those issues hindered his offense, as the four-time MVP batted .192/.323/.308 in eight postseason games.
Ohtani snapped a lengthy home-run drought on Thursday, but the three-run blast wasn't enough to avoid elimination. The Milwaukee Brewers finished an NLCS sweep with a 6-4 victory at Dodger Stadium.
The injuries raise questions over the long-term sustainability of Ohtani hitting and pitching. However, Ohtani insisted after the loss that he "definitely" intends to pitch again next season.
"Looking forward to having a better season next year," Ohtani said through an interpreter, per The Athletic's Katie Woo.
Yet the 32-year-old is unsure if he'll need offseason surgery for left knee inflammation or right biceps pain that have bothered him for months.
"Hard to tell at this point," Ohtani said. "It’s something that’s going to be analyzed, discussed over the offseason, and (we’ll) see if it’s a viable thing to do."
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Forced to hit exclusively in 2024, Ohtani became the only player in MLB history to hit 50 home runs and steal 50 bases in a season. He returned to the mound last season, posting a 2.87 ERA in 47 innings before making four starts during the Dodgers' World Series run.
Ohtani was making a play to chase an MVP and Cy Young Award winner early this season. In 14 dominant starts, Ohtani registered a 1.79 ERA and 95 strikeouts over 85.2 innings.
A healthy Ohtani is elite in every facet, but he's only made 114 starts in nine MLB seasons. He still remains determined to return as a two-way force.
"Not quite satisfied with how things shaped up on the pitching side, having not pitched in the postseason," Ohtani said. "I haven’t been able to really come to grips with what I’ve learned overall this season. It’s something that I’m going to go back to the drawing board in terms of treatment, training programs, and see what I can come up with for next season."