Shohei Ohtani Says He 'Definitely' Will Pitch in 2027 as Dodgers Weigh Offseason Evaluation

Shohei Ohtani said he “definitely” plans to pitch in 2027, offering the clearest answer yet about his return to the mound after injuries shut down his pitching for the final three months of the Dodgers’ season.

Ohtani made the comments through interpreter Will Ireton after Los Angeles’ 6-4 loss to the Milwaukee Brewers in Game 4 of the National League Championship Series on Friday night, a defeat that completed a four-game sweep and ended the Dodgers’ season. Asked whether he expects to pitch next year, Ohtani said, “Yes, definitely,” and added, “And looking forward to having a better season next year.”

There is still an important caveat. Ohtani said it is too early to know whether he will need any offseason procedure related to the injuries that limited him late in the year. “Hard to tell at this point,” he said. “It’s something that’s going to be analyzed, discussed over the offseason, and see if that’s a viable thing to do.”

That uncertainty follows a season in which Ohtani’s work on the mound was interrupted more than once. He exited a June 11 start with left knee inflammation. His final pitching appearance came July 3. In September, the Dodgers placed him on the 15-day injured list, retroactive to Sept. 8, with right biceps inflammation. He later returned as a hitter, but not as a pitcher.

When healthy, Ohtani was one of baseball’s most dominant starters in 2026. In 14 starts, he posted a 1.79 ERA over 85 2/3 innings, with 95 strikeouts, a 0.95 WHIP and a .179 opponents’ batting average. Those numbers explain why his status for 2027 matters so much to the Dodgers, whose rotation outlook changes considerably if the two-way star is available to start every fifth day.

Ohtani’s postseason role underscored that the issue was specifically his pitching availability, not his place in the lineup. He remained active as a hitter in the NLCS and homered in Game 4 even as the Dodgers, the two-time defending World Series champions after titles in 2024 and 2025, were eliminated.

Manager Dave Roberts praised Ohtani’s willingness to keep playing through less-than-full health. “I’ll always trust Shohei,” Roberts told the Los Angeles Times. “He’s the best player on the planet, and he’s not completely healthy. But I just give him a lot of respect for not running from it, still wanting to participate, still wanting to play when he’s not 100%.”

Ohtani, a two-time AL MVP who signed a 10-year, $700 million contract with Los Angeles in December 2023, occupies a singular place in the sport because he can anchor both the middle of a batting order and a rotation. That is why the Dodgers’ offseason medical evaluation — and Ohtani’s stated intent to pitch again in 2027 — will be one of the club’s most important questions heading into next season.