Shohei Ohtani wasn’t sugarcoating anything after the Dodgers’ season ended with a 6-4 loss to the Brewers in the NLCS. The two-way superstar laid it all out, admitting he hadn’t “really come to grip in terms of what I’ve learned overall this season.” That’s a tough pill to swallow for Dodgers fans, especially when their star player is already planning to go “back to the drawing board” on his treatment and training program for next year.
Ohtani’s Wild Ride: A Season Full of What-Ifs
MLB.com’s Sonja Chen really pulled back the curtain on Ohtani’s injury saga this season, and man, it sounds like a mess. We’re talking about a timeline that started with a knee tweak, then he got completely shut down from pitching, only to start up again, and then, boom, a full IL stint. Chen’s take? Maybe the Dodgers should’ve done more to help their generational talent early on. But here’s the kicker: Chen also suggests Ohtani probably should’ve done more to help himself. It’s a two-way street, right? When your most important player is hinting at a total overhaul of his approach, it tells you how frustrating this year must have been for him, and for the entire organization watching it unfold.
Communication Breakdown and The Road Ahead
And the plot thickens. Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman didn’t exactly paint a rosy picture about the communication, even though he called the back-and-forth “awesome.” The caveat? Ohtani “fully sharing exactly how he’s feeling, maybe not as awesome.” Yikes. That’s a pretty damning admission, suggesting there was a serious disconnect at some point. Clearly, there are lessons being learned in Los Angeles as they look to 2027. The good news, if you can call it that, is Ohtani is absolutely committed to pitching again next season. “Yes, definitely,” he told Brian Murphy of MLB.com after the elimination, adding he’s “looking forward to having a better season next year.” The big unknown, though, is whether that better season will come after offseason surgery, a decision Ohtani still hadn’t made as of earlier this week. Tyler Kepner of The Athletic is even drawing comparisons to the Yankees’ dynasty after their World Series wins stopped, especially with the Dodgers seemingly becoming a scapegoat for the impending lockout drama.
So, what now? Ohtani’s intent to pitch in 2027 is clear, but the cloud of potential offseason surgery hangs heavy. That decision is going to be massive for the Dodgers, setting the tone for a team desperate to rebound and prove that 2026 was just a blip.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by True Blue LA.
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