Shohei Ohtani: There’s Still Hope We’ll See Him Pitch in 2026

It's been two months since Shohei Ohtani last pitched. But since he's Shohei Ohtani, he's still hitting so well that he's considered one of the best players in the world.

The MVP should go to Pete Crow-Armstrong, but you get my point: he's still excellent.

Even though he wasn't able to pitch on Sunday in Detroit, the Dodgers are still hoping he'll be fit enough soon to see him take the mound in September.

However, they've likely given up on the idea of him being able to pitch six innings in an October start.

Many people want to see Ohtani focus solely on hitting, so he can channel his energy into one area for the rest of the season—and to help him stay in shape.

But for now, the Dodgers haven't given up on the idea of seeing him pitch in 2026.

Maybe it will happen, but for now, the team believes it's too early to give up on the idea of seeing him pitch in the playoffs.

Even if he were to pitch only a little, he doesn't count as a pitcher in the eyes of MLB, so he wouldn't take up a pitcher's spot on a postseason roster.

The result? Every at-bat he gets is a bonus.

And since he has plenty of talent on the mound, the Dodgers will take whatever Ohtani can give the franchise.

The key will be seeing what happens in the coming days. If he manages to get back on the mound, it'll be a win for the organization.

Otherwise, the key will be for him to be fit enough to do some damage in the playoffs with just his bat. Because right now, he's definitely not at 100% offensively.

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