The Los Angeles Dodgers are beginning the 2026 NLCS against the Milwaukee Brewers on Sunday night.
They’ll be doing it with Shohei Ohtani in the lineup, but probably paying at a decent chunk less than 100% due to a season filled with injuries.
Ohtani has struggled in the playoffs, and it all seems to be correlated.
The Dodgers are going to have their two-way superstar in the lineup whenever he’s available. But for L.A. to three-peat as World Series champs, they’ll need Ohtani to be a bit more like his normal self.
It’s not clear whether or not he’s capable of that right now.
Is Shohei Ohtani Hurt?
Yes, at least in one sense, Ohtani is hurt.
He has spent the entire season dealing with different injuries.
At various points, he’s been diagnosed with a left knee problem, right biceps issues and a neck problem.
Ohtani is currently still having issues with the knee and the biceps.
His left knee has at different points been referred to as soreness, inflammation and lingering pain.
The right biceps has been both inflammation and discomfort.
Apparently, none of that is enough to keep him out of action entirely, but it definitely does limit him.
Why Isn’t Shohei Ohtani Pitching?
The combination of left knee injury and right biceps injury is enough to keep Ohtani off the mound.
The Dodgers had him stop pitching in early July, and he hasn’t thrown on the mound since.
Obviously, a right arm injury would be a problem for being an MLB pitcher. The left leg is almost as important, because that’s the knee that is part of the plant leg on every single pitch.
Combined, there’s no way the Dodgers can push Ohtani through that pain and have him be on the mound, even in the biggest games. There’s too much risk.
Apparently they’ve decided that the injuries aren’t so bad that Ohtani can’t hit and run. But they do seem to be impacting him.
Shohei Ohtani Playoff Stats
Ohtani has gotten off to a slow start in the postseason for the Dodgers, who needed four games in the NLDS to get past the Atlanta Braves.
In those four games, Ohtani was 2-for-13 with two singles and one stolen base.
Ohtani’s power has been mostly sapped by these injuries, it appears, at least based on the statistics. He hasn’t hit a home run since August 18.
Ohtani had one double in eight games played in September.
The coordination and skillset of Ohtani allows him to overcome a lot, and so the Dodgers won’t turn away from him. But it’s clear that he’s not his normal self at the moment due to all the injuries he’s been dealing with and appears to be trying to play through.
Is Shohei Ohtani Hurt? What Injuries Dodgers Superstar Is Dealing With In NLCS