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The Los Angeles Dodgers' 2026 season ended in disappointment, with a National League Championship Series sweep by the Milwaukee Brewers, and superstar Shohei Ohtani's production fell short of his usual standards due to injuries. Ohtani expressed his frustration through interpreter Will Ireton after the elimination, stating, "I think I'm just very disappointed."
Ohtani's second-half offense and postseason performance were visibly hindered by a knee injury that prevented him from pitching after an early-July start, as well as a biceps injury he later admitted he did not initially report. Despite being shut down as a pitcher in July, his batting average plummeted nearly 50 points after the All-Star break. A 10-game stretch in late August in which he hit just .128 and took four games off to heal led to his first stint on the injured list as a Dodger. His struggles at the plate culminated in a 5-for-26 postseason showing with 10 strikeouts across eight games.
The lack of production, the IL stint, and his postseason performance all raised the possibility of offseason surgery for the superstar. Ohtani addressed the topic after Game 4, saying, "Hard to tell at this point. 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."
Ohtani Commits to Pitching in 2027
When asked if he planned to continue pitching in 2027, Ohtani confirmed he does. However, he was not pleased with his half-season on the mound and is looking to create a plan to pitch deeper into the season next year. "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."
Despite his health issues and their impact on the postseason, Ohtani still delivered a memorable moment in Game 4. His three-run home run in the second inning electrified the crowd and gave his team a 4-0 lead before the Brewers completed the sweep. "I really don't take it for granted," Ohtani said of the season. "Every player comes here and there. The composition of the team is different, different players and coaching staff. So I don't really want to take it for granted for the opportunity to be able to play with these guys. The Brewers were overall strong and a very good team, and it really exposed some of the parts of me as a player, and I have to give some credit to that."
Ohtani will now focus on ensuring this doesn't happen again in 2027.