Overview
- At an end-of-season news conference Wednesday, president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman said surgery is "not on the table" and that he fully expects Ohtani to pitch in 2027.
- Dodgers medical staff concluded rest is the appropriate treatment after Ohtani dealt with left-knee inflammation and a right-biceps issue that ended his pitching after July 3 and led to a September injured-list stint.
- The club and Ohtani have agreed to keep him a two-way player but have not settled on a role, with three main paths under consideration: a full-season rotation spot, a delayed ramp-up into the rotation, or limited relief appearances.
- Before the shutdown, Ohtani produced elite numbers — he was 8-2 with a 1.79 ERA in 14 starts — but his late-season offensive slide and playoff struggles showed why workload management will shape the Dodgers' 2027 rotation and lineup plans.
- Avoiding surgery shortens Ohtani's recovery timeline but raises a new challenge: the front office, medical staff and Ohtani must collaborate on a deliberate plan to reduce re-injury risk and keep him available for October as he turns 33 next July.