Ohtani Needs No Surgery and Is Expected to Pitch in 2027, Dodgers Say
Dodgers boss Andrew Friedman says Shohei Ohtani needs no surgery and will train as a two-way player. Why the 2027 workload plan is the real question.
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Key takeaways
- Dodgers president Andrew Friedman said Wednesday that Shohei Ohtani needs no surgery on his left knee or right arm, per ESPN.
- Ohtani was 8-2 with a 1.79 ERA through 14 starts but did not pitch after July 3, ESPN reported.
- He went 4-for-22 with no extra-base hits in his first seven postseason games before a Game 4 homer in the NLCS.
- Friedman expects Ohtani to pitch in 2027, but how the Dodgers manage the workload is undecided.
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Shohei Ohtani Needs No Surgery and Is Expected to Pitch in 2027
Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman said Wednesday that Shohei Ohtani will not require surgery for his left knee, right arm or any other ailment from the second half, ESPN reported. Doctors prescribed rest, and Ohtani will train as a two-way player for 2027.
I fully expect him to pitch next year.
Ohtani pitched to an 8-2 record and 1.79 ERA over his first 14 starts, with 95 strikeouts in 85 2/3 innings, but knee and biceps pain kept him off the mound after July 3. He was not placed on the injured list until after Labor Day, leaving five regular-season games to get ready for the playoffs, per ESPN.
Ohtani's Season in Numbers
| Measure | Figure (per ESPN) |
|---|---|
| First 14 starts | 8-2, 1.79 ERA, 95 K, 26 BB |
| Hitting through Aug. 18 | Slashing .294/.390/.558, 30 HR, 7 SB |
| Last 70 regular-season at-bats | 11 hits, 29 strikeouts |
| First seven playoff games | 4-for-22, no extra-base hits |
| Dodgers NLCS with runners in scoring position | 4-for-27 |
Los Angeles was swept by Milwaukee, and Friedman said the offensive slump had an impact on the early exit while noting the whole lineup slumped to a .590 postseason OPS.
Our Read: The Question Is Workload, Not Surgery
- No surgery is good news with a catch. It removes the worst case for 2027, but the pain still derailed the second half, so rest alone is a plan and not a fix.
- The pitching case is strong. A 1.79 ERA through mid-July is the reason the club wants to try again, and it explains why Friedman called the value incredible.
- The cost showed up at the plate. Friedman himself dated the MVP-level hitting to mid-August, and the October slump followed the injuries. The evidence does not prove cause, and the whole lineup struggled too.
- Communication may matter most. ESPN reports that people in the organization believe Ohtani needs to be more forthcoming about ailments. That is a process issue we would watch closer than any innings number.
This is our reading of the facts above, not a prediction of his 2027 stats.
What to Watch This Winter
- Whether the Dodgers start Ohtani's pitching later or add off days, two options ESPN says are possible.
- Free agency for ace Tarik Skubal and relievers Alex Vesia and Evan Phillips.
- Elbow procedures for catcher Dalton Rushing and pitcher Will Klein, announced Wednesday.
- How the club adds youth to baseball's oldest position-player group.
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