Shohei Ohtani likely done pitching

Shohei Ohtani said after the Dodgers’ 6-3 win over the Reds that he is “most likely” done pitching for the rest of the 2026 season and will focus on hitting instead. SportsNet reported the comment after Monday night’s game in Los Angeles, where Ohtani returned to the lineup after a four-game absence. (x.com) The immediate context is that the Dodgers had already been signaling this outcome. On Sunday, manager Dave Roberts said Ohtani was trending toward a return as a hitter against Cincinnati but was “unlikely” to pitch again this season, adding, “We can all do the math.” Roberts said the move back to the mound had not been formally ruled out, but the calendar and Ohtani’s recent health issues made it improbable. (sportsnet.ca) Those health issues matter here. SportsNet reported Ohtani had been dealing with left knee and right biceps discomfort, and he had missed four straight games before returning Monday. Before that stretch, he had never missed more than two consecutive games since joining the Dodgers on his 10-year, $700 million contract in 2024. (sportsnet.ca) At the plate Monday, Ohtani went 0-for-3 with a walk and two strikeouts in his first game back. The Dodgers still won their fifth straight, getting a three-run homer from Teoscar Hernández and 10 strikeouts from Emmet Sheehan in a 6-3 victory over Cincinnati. (espn.com) As a pitcher, Ohtani had still been highly effective in 2026 before the shutdown of his mound work. SportsNet listed him at a 1.79 ERA with 95 strikeouts and 26 walks over 85.2 innings. As a hitter, SportsNet said he entered this week with 30 home runs, 80 RBIs, 11 stolen bases and a.279/.381/.525 slash line, though he had gone 7-for-51 over his previous 13 games before sitting out. (sportsnet.ca) So the practical takeaway is straightforward: the Dodgers appear to be narrowing Ohtani’s role to designated hitter for the stretch run. Roberts had already framed a pitching return as unlikely, and Ohtani’s own postgame comment pushed that further, saying he was most likely finished on the mound this year. (sportsnet.ca) What comes next is on the schedule. The Reds and Dodgers were set to continue the series Tuesday, with Cincinnati listing Nick Lodolo against Dodgers left-hander Tarik Skubal, and Ohtani’s availability as a hitter will be the next thing to watch. (espn.com)