Shohei Ohtani’s back on the mound in a big way for 2026, and the Dodgers aren’t holding anything back this time.
Sure, Ohtani only threw 47 innings last season. But those were some of the best 47 innings any pitcher delivered all year. He completely fooled hitters with his movement, posting a ridiculous 33 percent strikeout rate that had batters looking lost at the plate.
The two-way superstar found his rhythm as the season progressed, even getting the ball for Game 7 of the World Series. That feels like forever ago for fans who were hoping to see him pitch in the World Baseball Classic this spring. But here’s the good news: Ohtani’s returning to the mound soon, and he won’t have any restrictions when he does.
No Pitch Limits This Season
The Dodgers are planning to unleash Ohtani without any pitch counts or inning limits from day one. He confirmed as much when talking to reporters before the World Baseball Classic.
Manager Dave Roberts made it clear that Los Angeles is done babying their ace. They’re building extra rest into his schedule – he’s part of a six-man rotation – but beyond that, he’s getting treated like any other starter.
“I’m not going to manage him differently as far as each outing,” Roberts said. “There’s certainly going to be extra time, it’s not a five-day, six-day rotation. So there’s going to be rest in between. But outside of that, it’s not going to be the two-inning, three-inning [start], he’s just going to be used as a normal pitcher.”
That approach worked pretty well in October. Ohtani threw at least six innings in three of his four playoff starts, including a masterpiece against the Brewers in the NLCS clincher. Two hits, three walks, 10 strikeouts across six innings. He also smacked three home runs in that series, earning NLCS MVP honors.
Not bad for a guy who was supposedly on a pitch count.
Where He Fits in the Rotation
Yoshinobu Yamamoto’s getting the Opening Day nod, but Ohtani should take the mound within the first week of the season. Roberts hasn’t spelled out exactly where the 31-year-old fits in the rotation, but he’s definitely part of the mix with Yamamoto, Emmet Sheehan, Tyler Glasnow, and Roki Sasaki.
Blake Snell should join the group once he’s back from the shoulder injury that’s kept him out of spring training. Justin Wrobleski might fill in as an extra arm while Snell gets up to speed.
What makes this rotation special is the depth. You’ve got Ohtani and Yamamoto at the top, Snell’s proven track record, Glasnow’s filthy breaking balls, and Sasaki’s strikeout potential in his second season after struggling as a rookie.
Smart Decision on the WBC
Ohtani chose not to pitch for Team Japan in the World Baseball Classic, and Roberts wasn’t surprised by that call.
“I wasn’t surprised,” Roberts said. “I can’t even say I was relieved. Understanding what he did last year, understanding what he had to go through, to then how best to prepare himself for ’26 to do both, it just seemed like the right decision.”
That decision doesn’t signal any concerns about his readiness for the regular season. If anything, it shows Ohtani’s thinking long-term about handling both sides of his game throughout a full campaign.
The Numbers Don’t Lie
Ohtani’s always been elite as a hitter and base-stealer, but his pitching might be his best skill. The guy finished fourth in AL Cy Young voting in 2022 and has four seasons with an ERA under 3.31.
His 2025 return was nothing short of spectacular. A 145 ERA+ across those 47 innings, right in line with his career numbers. He struck out 62 batters for an average of 11.9 per nine innings – a rate that would’ve led the league if he’d thrown enough innings to qualify.
| Season | Games | Record | ERA | Innings pitched | WHIP | Strikeouts | Walks | Hits | Earned runs |
| 2018 | 10 | 4-2 | 3.31 | 51.2 | 1.16 | 63 | 22 | 38 | 19 |
| 2020 | 2 | 0-1 | 37.80 | 1.2 | 6.60 | 3 | 8 | 3 | 7 |
| 2021 | 23 | 9-2 | 3.18 | 130.1 | 1.09 | 156 | 44 | 98 | 46 |
| 2022 | 28 | 15-9 | 2.33 | 166.0 | 1.01 | 219 | 44 | 124 | 43 |
| 2023 | 23 | 10-5 | 3.14 | 132.0 | 1.06 | 167 | 55 | 85 | 46 |
| 2025 | 14 | 1-1 | 2.87 | 47.0 | 1.04 | 62 | 9 | 40 | 15 |
| Totals | 100 | 39-20 | 3.00 | 528.2 | 1.08 | 670 | 182 | 388 | 176 |
Those career numbers tell the story: 39-20 record, 3.00 ERA, over 12 strikeouts per nine innings. That’s ace-level production when he’s healthy.
A Rotation Built for October
The projected Dodgers rotation for 2026 looks like this:
| Rank | Pitcher |
| 1 | Yoshinobu Yamamoto |
| 2 | Blake Snell |
| 3 | Shohei Ohtani |
| 4 | Tyler Glasnow |
| 5 | Emmet Sheehan |
| 6 | Roki Sasaki |
That’s a group that should have opposing hitters breaking bats in frustration. Yamamoto and Snell are proven commodities, Ohtani’s track record speaks for itself, and Glasnow’s stuff is nasty when he’s healthy.
The wildcard is Sasaki, who struggled in his rookie season but has the kind of strikeout stuff that could make him dangerous in year two. Sometimes it just takes time for young pitchers to adjust to major league hitting.
All things considered, this could be one of the most intimidating rotations in baseball. And having Ohtani back without restrictions makes it that much more dangerous come October.
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