Dodgers sound pessimistic about Shohei Ohtani pitching again

The Los Angeles Dodgers maintain they are still trying to get Shohei Ohtani ready to pitch again in 2026, but the organization no longer sounds certain about whether he will be able to do so.

Dodgers president Andrew Friedman maintains that the team is committed to trying to get Ohtani ready to pitch in the playoffs as he deals with knee and biceps injuries. Manager Dave Roberts, however, indicated Tuesday that the team might have to have an internal discussion about what the two-way star will be able to contribute on the mound.

“I do think that there’s going to be a conversation that needs to be had this week about what the outlook is,” Roberts said, via Jack Harris of the California Post. “We haven’t had it yet.”

This is a significant shift from even a week ago, when the Dodgers were naming specific dates for Ohtani’s potential return to the mound. However, the team scaled things back when he reported soreness after a bullpen session.

Ohtani had a 1.79 ERA in 14 starts this season, and obviously, the Dodgers would love to get him on the mound if they can do so. However, they cannot justify risking his availability on offense, and time is of the essence. Any additional setbacks might not leave him with enough time to get ready for the postseason.