Gomes said the Dodgers won’t put too much emphasis on Ohtani’s pitching at the start of the regular season.
“I think it’s mostly about having conversations and what’s available. The part about Sho is there’s no one else doing what he’s doing. There’s not much we can say, ‘We’re planning
The Dodgers appear to be in no rush to have Ohtani pitch from the beginning of the season to the end. The last time Ohtani did that was in 2022, when he was a member of the Los Angeles Angels.
That season was by far his best season on the mound. Ohtani appeared in 28 games and threw 166 innings in his career. Ohtani also finished fourth in the American League Cy Young voting.
It doesn’t look like he will be aiming for a new career high this season. However, all signs point to Ohtani appearing in more than fourteen games for LA in 2026. The two-way superstar is among the best pitchers in the league when he’s about to play.
The Japanese sensation has a career 3.00 ERA with 670 strikeouts, 3.18 FIP, 1.07 WHIP and a 143 ERA+.
Do the Dodgers have enough on the pitching side without Shohei Ohtani?
Even if Ohtani doesn’t start the season on the mound, the Dodgers have more than enough to carry the load. Los Angeles is loaded with talent in terms of their starting rotation, including Yoshinonbu Yamamoto, Blake Snell and Tyler Glasnow.
Additionally, the bullpen should be a lot better than last season. Headlining the bullpen are none other than three-time All-Star Edwin Diaz and Tanner Scott, who were their top signings before the 2025 season.
Pitching should be the least of the Dodgers’ worries as they look to become the first team in more than a quarter-century with three goals.
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