Los Angeles Dodgers general manager and executive of baseball operations Brandon Gomes commented on Shohei Ohtani’s pitching status for the start of the 2026 season.
Gomes said the Dodgers won’t put too much emphasis on Ohtani’s pitching at the start of the regular season.
“I think a lot of it is going to be having the conversation and what is available. The part of Sho is that there’s nobody else that does what he does. There’s not a whole lot we can say, “We’ll plan on X, Y, or Z.” It’s the conversation and what resources are available. The nice thing is whatever he is built up to is only beneficial. We’re not going to put too much emphasis on the beginning of the season, and we’ll just make sure he’s prepared for the long haul.”
The Dodgers seem to be in no rush to have Ohtani pitch from the beginning of the season to the end. The last time Ohtani did that was in 2022, when he was a member of the Los Angeles Angels.
That season was by far his best season on the mound. Ohtani pitched in 28 games and pitched a career high 166 innings. Ohtani also finished fourth in American League Cy Young voting.
It doesn’t seem like he will go for a new career high this season. However, all signs point to Ohtani pitching in more than 14 games for L.A. in 2026. The two-way superstar is among the best pitchers in the league when he is on the bump.
The Japanese sensation holds a career 3.00 ERA with 670 strikeouts, 3.18 FIP, 1.07 WHIP and a 143 ERA+.
Do the Dodgers Have Enough on the Pitching Side Without Shohei Ohtani?
Even if Ohtani doesn’t start the season on the mound, the Dodgers have more than enough to carry the load. Los Angeles is loaded with talent regarding their starting rotation, including Yoshinonbu Yamamoto, Blake Snell and Tyler Glasnow.
On top of that, the bullpen should be a lot better than it was last season. Headlining the bullpen is none other than three-time All-Star Edwin Diaz and Tanner Scott, who was their top signing before the 2025 season.
Pitching should be the least of the Dodgers’ worries as they look to become the first team in over a quarter-century to three-peat.
