Despite his injury crisis this year, and the limitations it left him with in the playoffs, the two-way star still wants to be a two-way player again next season.
asserted
star → leave → playoffs
“Yes, definitely,” Ohtani said through interpreter Will Ireton on Thursday night, when asked if he intended to return to pitching in 2027.
asserted
he → say → 2027
“And [I’m] looking forward to having a better season next year.”
asserted
I → look → season
The Dodgers would shudder at the idea of another Ohtani campaign going worse than this one.
asserted
campaign → shudder → one
In his attempt to return to a full-time two-way role for the first time since 2023, the four-time MVP ended up getting hurt, being shut down as a pitcher after only 85 innings, and slumping mightily at the plate for much of the playoffs while trying to manage his far-less-than-100% health.
asserted
MVP → return → health
His October limitations proved costly to the Dodgers.
asserted
limitations → prove → Dodgers
His inability to withstand the physical toll of his one-of-a-kind role was one of the key reasons they were knocked out in the National League Championship Series.
asserted
they → withstand → Series
On Thursay night, he indicated it’s possible he might need to have offseason surgery, as well; though he did not specify if it would be for his inflamed left knee, ailing right arm, some other unknown issue, or potentially all of the above.
uncertain
it → indicate → above
“Hard to tell at this point,” Ohtani said.
asserted
Ohtani → tell → point
“It’s something that’s going to be analyzed, discussed over the offseason, and see if that’s a viable thing to do.
asserted
that → ’ → offseason
And yet, the 32-year-old didn’t waver in his desire to continue to both hit and pitch moving forward.
asserted
old → waver → desire
He didn’t seem daunted by the disastrous way this season played out.
asserted
season → seem → way
“I haven’t been able to really come to grip in terms of what I’ve learned overall this season,” he said.
asserted
he → come → what
“It’s something that I’m going to kind of go back to the drawing board in terms of treatment, training program, and see what I can come up with for next season.
asserted
I → ’ → season
The question, of course, is not whether Ohtani can still be dominant in his two dueling roles.
asserted
Ohtani → duel → roles
This year, he still batted .275 with 30 home runs and 81 RBIs as a hitter, while going 8-2 with a 1.79 ERA in 14 pitching starts.
asserted
he → bat → starts
The problem was, after his knee started barking in June, and his arm became increasingly bothersome from July onward, he wasn’t able to make much of an impact on the mound or in the batter’s box.
asserted
he → start → box
His final pitching start came on July 3, with repeated attempts to build back up scuttled by physical setbacks.
asserted
attempts → come → setbacks
His form at the plate dipped drastically over the final two months of the regular season, requiring an injured list stint in September that did little to get him back to himself.
In the playoffs, Ohtani hit just .192.
asserted
Ohtani → dip → .192
Before his three-run homer in Game 4 of the NLCS, he didn’t have an extra-base hit or an RBI.
asserted
he → have → hit
Because of all that, there was speculation the Dodgers might try to manage him differently next year –– and, if not ask him to give up on pitching, try to moderate his workload in a way that won’t be so taxing on his body.
uncertain
that → be → body
If anything, however, Ohtani on Thursday night seemed to bemoan the fact he didn’t pitch more this year, noting how he wasn’t available for the postseason rotation.
asserted
he → seem → rotation
“Not quite satisfied with how things shaped up on the pitching side,” he said.
asserted
he → shape → side
What all that means for 2027 remains unclear –– especially with the threat of a looming lockout and potential offseason recovery process.
uncertain
means → mean → lockout
The only thing Ohtani knows for sure: He still wants to continue in his two-way role.
asserted
He → know → role
The Aporia
