Shohei Ohtani hit a three-run home run in Game 4 of the NLCS for the Los Angeles Dodgers against the Milwaukee Brewers.
After a strong Game 3, Ohtani showed his power hadn’t totally abandoned him. It created hope even with the Dodgers down three games to none in the series.
The hope didn’t last long. The Brewers came back to win, and they eliminated the back-to-back World Series champion Dodgers in a four-game sweep.
Milwaukee will play in the World Series.
The Dodgers head home.
And for Ohtani, it’s a pivotal offseason after a playoffs spent in pain.
He was dealing with both a left knee injury and a right biceps injury. Both kept him from pitching down the stretch of the season.
They both are in question heading into the offseason, and they also at least raise the curiosity about whether Ohtani will be back on the mound next season.
Shohei Ohtani Pitching Plans
Ohtani revealed to reporters after Game 4 that he does plan to pitch in 2027.
He also shared that he’s not yet sure whether either of his injuries will require surgery.
Shohei Ohtani said it is “hard to tell” if he’ll need either knee or bicep surgery this offseason. He also said he plans to pitch again next season. #Dodgers
— Katie Woo (@katiejwoo) October 16, 2026
It always seemed unlikely that Ohtani would give up pitching. It’s obviously a huge part of what he does, and it’s a huge asset to the Dodgers to have him as a two-way superstar.
The key going forward will be more about keeping Ohtani healthy. Yes, that may be tougher to do while he’s both hitting and pitching, but it’s also extra important given that he has such a full workload.
Varied Ohtani Journeys With Dodgers
The interesting thing is that the Dodgers actually won one World Series with Ohtani not pitching already.
In 2024, Ohtani was recovering from Tommy John surgery. He just was the DH all year. And he went 50-50 in the regular season, the first player to ever have that combination of home runs and stolen bases.
But the Dodgers also saw what it looks like when Ohtani pitches, too. Last year in the postseason against the Brewers, Ohtani had a game in which he struck out 10 Milwaukee hitters and belted three home runs of his own. It was probably the best individual game in baseball history.
So clearly, it’s not a bad thing for the Dodgers when Ohtani pitches. It’s also not the end of the world if he doesn’t.
But whatever he’s doing, they need him close to 100% — not at whatever level he was in these playoffs.
Dodgers’ Shohei Ohtani Reveals If He’ll Pitch Next Season After Injuries