Brandon Gomes: Shohei Ohtani Likely To Have ‘Normal’ Pitching Schedule In 2026

After a record-setting 2024 season as the Los Angeles Dodgers’ full-time designated hitter, Shohei Ohtani resumed two-way responsibilities this year.

Ohtani made his Dodgers pitching debut on June 16 and threw one inning against the San Diego Padres. He was methodically built up throughout the year and reached the team’s targeted goal of six innings by the end of the regular season.

Ohtani then made three consecutive starts of six innings during the playoffs before throwing 2.1 frames on short rest in Game 7 of the World Series.

After logging a combined 67.1 innings in 2025, Dodgers general manager Brandon Gomes suggested that Ohtani could be on a normal pitching schedule next year, via Jeff Fletcher of the Southern California News Group:

“I think that’s a conversation we’ll have with him as it gets deeper into the offseason, but it’ll probably look more like a normal schedule than last year, but obviously that can be fluid,” Gomes said. “And everything we’ll do is with the big picture mindset.”

Even if he throws on a regular schedule in 2026, the Dodgers will still presumably look to give Ohtani as much extra rest as possible, just as they do with their other pitchers.

The Dodgers utilized that strategy to perfection this year, which resulted in Tyler Glasnow, Blake Snell and Yoshinobu Yamamoto being on top of their game when it mattered most.

Extra rest should be even more imperative for Ohtani considering his duties as a hitter. The 31-year-old struggled at the plate this year in games he started and the following day.

Shohei Ohtani’s pitching stats with Dodgers

Ohtani posted a 1-1 record with a 2.87 ERA, 1.90 FIP, 1.04 WHIP and 11.9 strikeouts per nine in 47 innings across 14 starts during the regular season.

He went on to go 2-1 with a 4.43 ERA, 1.13 WHIP and 12.4 strikeouts per nine in 20.1 innings across four starts in the postseason.