Why Dodgers’ Shohei Ohtani must give up pitching after injury-plagued 2026 season
Shohei Ohtani remains one of baseball’s most extraordinary pitchers , which is exactly why the Dodgers face such a difficult decision. His 2026 results on the mound were dominant, yet the injuries that ended his pitching season also appeared to damage the rest of his game. The Dodgers should seriously consider ending the two-way experiment to […] The post Why Dodgers’ Shohei Ohtani must give up…
Shohei Ohtani's 2026 pitching season was marked by dominance, but his injuries also took a toll on the rest of his game. As a result, the Dodgers are considering ending their two-way experiment to preserve their most valuable player. Ohtani has expressed his intention to pitch again in 2027, but this decision should be driven by health, not desire to continue pitching.
The pitching workload has been costly, and Ohtani's numbers suffered after the All-Star break. His batting average dropped nearly 50 points in the second half, and he struggled in the postseason. Giving up pitching would be a significant sacrifice, but the franchise must protect Ohtani from the instinct that made him historically great.
With his knee and biceps injuries on the mend, a permanent hitting-only role may be the most reliable way to maximize his value.
Written by urgent.news from Yahoo Sports's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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