Shohei Ohtani says he's 'most likely' done pitching in 2026 — what it means for the Dodgers
Shohei Ohtani told reporters he will "most likely" not pitch again this season and will focus on hitting; MLB's official reporting confirms the team is considering an IL move as Ohtani works through…
By SLAM Intel Desk · 6 min read · Updated Sep 9, 2026, 9:03 PM EDT
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Lede — a two-way season effectively ends on the mound
Shohei Ohtani told reporters this week that he is "most likely" done pitching for the 2026 season and will concentrate on hitting, a shift that has been confirmed by both independent outlets and MLB's official reporting. The Dodgers, who have already been managing Ohtani's left-knee soreness and a right-biceps issue, are weighing roster options as they prepare for October.
That admission — carefully phrased and delivered through an interpreter — is the clearest indication yet that the Dodgers will enter the postseason without Ohtani as a rotation or spot-start option, and must instead protect his bat while rebuilding their pitching plan.
The medical and availability picture
MLB's reporting and independent accounts agree: Ohtani has not pitched since July 3 and has been hampered this month by left-knee soreness and a right-biceps problem that have repeatedly cost him starts and at-bats. The club tried a short ramp back into action, but Ohtani reported discomfort after getting a handful of plate appearances and the Dodgers have since been cautious.
Those ongoing issues explain why L.A. is openly considering the injured list. Manager Dave Roberts acknowledged the trade-off: leaving Ohtani active keeps his bat available now, but placing him on the IL — which can be backdated under certain circumstances — would protect him longer and clearly remove pitching from the equation.
Practical roster choices: how the Dodgers can respond
With a two-way Ohtani off the mound, the Dodgers face two immediate jobs: remap October starts and preserve run production at DH. Practical options include stretching current starters deeper into October, turning to a bullpen-led opener strategy in high-leverage games, or bringing an extra pitcher onto the postseason roster at the expense of bench depth.
Backdating an IL stint to the date of Ohtani's first missed game is a near-term lever the Dodgers could use to limit his time away and still protect him. But even with backdating, the club loses the late-season pitching flexibility that Ohtani uniquely offered when healthy.
Bigger picture: what this says about two-way stars
The situation is a reminder that two-way utility is a fragile resource. When a player carries elite workloads as both starter and middle-of-the-order bat, the margin for injury narrows. For teams, the reward — an extra frontline arm plus a middle-of-lineup bat — comes with a management headache: balancing recovery with playoff timing, and deciding how to distribute innings when the margin for error is small.
For the Dodgers, the choice to preserve Ohtani's bat is sensible; it maximizes their Run Expectancy from a player still producing at the plate. But it also increases variance in the pitching staff and forces L.A. to lean on other arms in a postseason where margins are tiny.
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Why the injured list and two-way rules matter here
MLB treats two-way players differently for some roster matters: the Dodgers could place Ohtani on the injured list, but the minimum IL stint for a two-way player is structured so that teams must weigh immediate need against postseason timing. The club can backdate an IL placement to the first day the player missed time, which can shorten the practical absence if management believes the earlier outing counts toward the minimum.
Why it matters here
Choosing to put Ohtani on the IL — or keep him active as a DH while limiting his workload — changes when he can return and whether he is available for key playoff games. It also forces L.A. to decide if short-term roster flexibility is worth the risk of fewer pitching options in October.
Sources and attribution
- Yahoo SportsPublished Sep 9, 2026, 7:05 PM EDT
Reporting attributed to Yahoo Sports.
- CBS SportsPublished Sep 8, 2026, 11:02 AM EDT
Reporting attributed to CBS Sports.
- MLBPublished Sep 9, 2026, 8:44 PM EDT
Reporting attributed to MLB.
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