Shohei Ohtani Opens Up on 'Last Chance as a Pitcher' amid 2-Way Role With Dodgers

Four-time MVP Shohei Ohtani knows his status as a two-way star could be fleeting given the arm injuries he has suffered to this point in his MLB career.

"Inside, I'm assuming this is my last chance as a pitcher," he told Japanese sports magazine Number (via Dylan Hernandez of the California Post).

Ohtani related how he envisions his pitching run being "as thick as possible" instead of "thin and long." In effect, he would rather be dominant over a short period than limit himself on the mound for the sake of longevity.

Ohtani has made 12 starts in 2026, posting a 1.47 ERA and a 2.66 FIP across 73.2 innings. His strikeouts (9.5 per nine innings) are on pace to be a career low, but he nonetheless ranks first in WAR (2.5) among Dodgers pitchers at FanGraphs.

The 31-year-old said his mindset is that he "wants to throw pitches that the hitter version of me can't hit." That's no easy feat when he's combining his pitching production with another elite hitting season. He boasts a .297/.418/.551 slash line along with 16 home runs and 43 RBI.

In terms of the bigger picture, fans have properly contextualized Ohtani's singular greatness. Calling him a generational talent doesn't go far enough because it's impossible to say when or even if another player can successfully juggle pitching and hitting duties in the way he has.

In real time, it can be a little harder to appreciate what's unfolding every time Ohtani steps onto the field and how quickly it can be taken away.

The right-hander didn't pitch at all in 2019 thanks to Tommy John surgery and hit exclusively in 2024 thanks to offseason shoulder surgery. Should he suffer a third major arm injury at some point, that could be it for him pulling double duty.

Ohtani would provide ample value to the Dodgers and entertainment for fans if he never pitched again. But it would be a lot less fun to follow him.