Shohei Ohtani, unlikely to pitch again in 2026

sportsSep 8, 202642260

Shohei Ohtani told reporters he is not expected to pitch the rest of the 2026 season and will focus on hitting for the Los Angeles Dodgers. Ohtani returned to the lineup Monday after a four-game absence and went 0 for 3 with two strikeouts and a walk while serving as the leadoff designated hitter. He reported improvement in lingering left knee, right biceps and neck problems and said he will concentrate on batting for the final 19 regular-season games. Ohtani has not pitched in a major league game since July 3, and a planned mound ramp-up that would have led to an Aug. 31 start was called off. Manager Dave Roberts called Ohtani the team’s best hitter, noting Ohtani has 30 home runs and a .902 OPS this year. The Dodgers have a deep projected playoff rotation that includes Tarik Skubal, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Blake Snell and Tyler Glasnow, and the club won all four games Ohtani missed. With Ohtani concentrating on hitting, his likely pitching absence reshapes how the Dodgers will deploy their roster down the stretch and into the postseason.

Molly Knight

@mollyknight.bsky.social

Shohei Ohtani tells the media he is most likely not going to pitch again this year.

10932d ago

Uncomfortably Numb11

Me either. I’m shutting it down.

Mike Branom4

Congrats, PCA, on your first MVP Award.

Avraham Bronstein1

Ohtani and Judge are going to end their careers with such huge "what-ifs" about what their career stats could have been. Though their fragility is probably inextricable from the size, power, and athleticism that makes them so incredible. Greek tragedy.

Vance Jericho, reluctant human.1

The Press: So, no pitching the year? Shohei Ohtani: I wouldn’t bet on it! *wild applause from the live studio audience*

JN Hall1

Hopefully he'll stop batting too Then he can live out his life as a very expensive stadium ornament

Quoting this

Molly Knight34

Ohtani is out of the lineup again today.

Sarah Langs

@slangsonsports.bsky.social

Pete Crow-Armstrong is the eighth player in MLB history with 40+ home runs and 35+ SB in a season at least once, joining: Juan Soto Shohei Ohtani Ronald Acuña Jr. (2) Alfonso Soriano Alex Rodriguez Barry Bonds (2) José Canseco

9232d ago

Scott Brady1

Jose Ramírez should be on this list but isn’t because MLB schedule makers hate Cleveland

Quoting this

Chris Towers is In a Pennant Race13

Juan Soto being on this list remains extremely funny. Has no more than 12 steals in any of his other seven seasons. Just decided to run like crazy for one season.

fabianardaya.bsky.social

@fabianardaya.bsky.social

Shohei Ohtani, through Will Ireton, said he is focusing on hitting for the rest of 2026.

1232d ago

Eric Stephen

@ericstephen.bsky.social

no Shohei Ohtani in tonight's Dodgers lineup, after he played last night. Freddie Freeman is the designated hitter Edman CF Betts SS Smith C Freeman DH Teoscar RF Rojas 2B Call LF Muncy 3B Kiké 1B

1131d ago

MLB Trade Rumors

@mlbtraderumors.bsky.social

Shohei Ohtani is DH'ing tonight after a four-day absence from the #Dodgers lineup, but he has probably thrown his last pitch of 2026 www.mlbtraderumors.com/2026/09/shoh...

1032d ago

Noah Camras

@noahcamras.bsky.social

Shohei Ohtani is back in the Dodgers lineup today and leading off after a four-game absence. www.si.com/mlb/dodgers/...

32d ago

timkawakami.bsky.social

@timkawakami.bsky.social

New "North & South" with @dylanohernandez.bsky.social on the Rams/49ers arrival contrast telling us so much about each team. Also, on Shohei Ohtani as a hitter-only the rest of this season. -Spotify: open.spotify.com/episode/60kh... -Apple: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/n...

131d ago

Danielle Solzman 🗽🇺🇲✡️🕎🟦🎥

@solzyatthemovies.com

Shohei Ohtani: "I'm going to be focused on hitting moving forward." I guess we all knew that the day was going to come when he would be forced into choosing one or the other. With 4 MVP Awards and 310 home runs in MLB, he's well on the way to the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown.

331d ago

tastewart 🦋

@tastewart.bsky.social

Me too! The Reds sucked so bad this year that I was ready to move on in July! I have tix 9/17 to reds/dodgers just to see Ohtani!

132d ago

ayumi shinozaki | 篠崎あゆみ (she/they)

@ayusheknows.bsky.social

This man threatens to be as visible in advertising as Shohei Ohtani and I fear this is getting too close a rivalry

331d ago

The Huck Show

@thehuckshow.bsky.social

Anytime someone uses “best player in the world” and “baseball” in the same story, it should be regarding Shohei Ohtani. Not just the “best player in the world” but also “of all time”.

132d ago

ethosfantasymlb.bsky.social

@ethosfantasymlb.bsky.social

Dodgers will start Shohei Ohtani (knee, biceps, neck) on Monday at his usual lead off spot vs. CIN per @DodgerBlue1958 on X #FantasyBaseball #MLB

132d ago

Sam Lloyd

@llamsoyd.bsky.social

Los Angeles Angel Shohei Ohtani would have found a way to hit a home run in a 1-0 loss

132d ago

DodgerBlue.com

@dodgerblue1958.bsky.social

📺: www.youtube.com/watch?v=rbRX... Shohei Ohtani commented on the disappointment he has with the 2026 season and trying to find a silver lining in the decision to focus on hitting.

332d ago

The Japan Times

@japantimes.co.jp

Emmet Sheehan struck out 10 in his return from the minor leagues and the Los Angeles Dodgers turned Shohei Ohtani's return to the lineup into a 6-3 victory over the visiting Cincinnati Reds on Monday.

232d ago

3 sources

nytimes.comShohei Ohtani goes hitless in return to Dodgers’ lineup after 4-game absence (Gift Article)sports.yahoo.comShohei Ohtani returns in Dodgers' win over Reds after 4-game absence, likely done pitching this season ocregister.comShohei Ohtani returns to lineup as Dodgers’ win streak reaches 5 games

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Shohei Ohtani, unlikely to pitch again in 2026

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