From 50/50 Club to Cy Young? Dodgers’ Ohtani on a Mission
PHOENIX — As Shohei Ohtani progressed through rehab, built stamina, and began to resemble a traditional starting pitcher down the stretch last season, the Dodgers’ pitching coach Mark Prior worried that their two-way workload might trap him in one role. Hitting remained a constant lure, practice time was scarce, and the constant in-game discussions with the staff during intermissions seemed hard to sustain for a two-way star. Yet Prior quickly learned he was mistaken: Ohtani’s ambitions surpassed the limits of a typical workload.
"Every inning he’d come in," Prior recalled, "and it was a review." Whether preparing to lead off the next half-inning or not, Ohtani would retreat to an empty spot by the bench, meet with his catcher and Prior, and dissect what happened to map out what came next. He wanted to know how his stuff played, how hitters reacted, whether the game plan was working, and what adjustments were needed. Often these talks happened while Ohtani was hastily putting on his batting gear and sprinting toward the on-deck circle. On several occasions, he left a question unanswered until he returned.
"Most guys take a breather," Prior said. "He’ll start rattling off and talking about what’s going on because he knows his time’s limited. I didn’t appreciate that this is how it would be. I thought it would be more pregame analysis, then he plays, with perhaps some post-evaluation. But he was like every other pitcher — present in the moment."
Dodgers executives who watched Ohtani juggle hitting and pitching last year noted two distinct personalities. When he was focused on hitting alone, he appeared relaxed and jovial. When he pitched as well, his edge sharpened and his intensity rose. As spring training opened and he prepared for full-time two-way duties for the first time in three years, a clear purpose became evident.
"He seems like he’s on a mission, pitching-wise," Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman said. "Whenever we’ve seen him on a mission, good things happen."
Friedman recalled 2024, the first season of Ohtani’s 10-year, $700 million contract with the Dodgers, when another elbow issue ruled out pitching. Ohtani then leaned into aggressive baserunning and, astonishingly, became the first designated hitter to win an MVP while nearly doubling his prior stolen-base total. Friedman now believes Ohtani will apply a similar, laser-focused mindset to pitching, though what it yields remains to be seen.
"There’s no ceiling with him," Dodgers catcher Will Smith said. "He can go out there and win a Cy Young this year. I have no doubt about that."
At 31, Ohtani has earned four unanimous MVP awards in the last five years. After six seasons with the Angels where playoff appearances eluded him, he’s now a two-time champion. The Cy Young Award remains the one major prize missing from his collection. Although he initially said staying healthy for the full season was his primary aim, his coaches and teammates now see a clear objective: to be recognized as the NL’s best pitcher and, effectively, the greatest two-way talent in MLB history.
"He wants a Cy Young," Dodgers backup catcher Dalton Rushing said. "He wants a Cy Young, and you can tell by the way he’s carrying himself lately."
During the Dodgers’ first official spring workout, Ohtani threw consistently in the mid-90s, a notable shift for a player who typically eases into his throwing program. Four days later, around 10 a.m. on February 17, he stood atop Field 1 and faced hitters for the first time this year, with Rushing behind the plate and the organization’s decision-makers gathered nearby. The scene captivated observers, and the 98 mph one-inning burst underscored that the wait for a true full-time two-way star might be shorter than expected. His stuff was described as electric by Rushing, and Teoscar Hernandez predicted a transformed Ohtani on the mound this season.
Between elbow surgeries, Ohtani started 74 Angels games from 2021–2023, posting a 2.84 ERA with 542 strikeouts in 428⅓ innings. Among 57 pitchers with at least 400 innings in that span, only two had a lower ERA, and just one had a higher strikeout rate. Still, the central question remains: how much further can he rise?
No one can predict the longevity of his pitching career, but heading into 2026 he returned to the rotation late last year, enjoyed a normal offseason, and now benefits from a Dodgers organization renowned for developing pitchers—despite its injuries history—making this an ideal moment to maximize his potential.
He could benefit from the Dodgers’ depth. Two decades ago, Prior formed a devastating Cubs rotation with Kerry Wood; as a coach, he observed how Clayton Kershaw helped elevate teammates like Hyun-Jin Ryu and Walker Buehler. He believes a similar dynamic could emerge between Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto, who finished third in NL Cy Young voting last year. Either pitcher could become the first Japanese player to win MLB’s top pitching award, and both have a real chance.
Prior expects healthy competition to push Ohtani and Yamamoto, along with Snell and Tyler Glasnow, plus a cadre of promising young starters who could strengthen what many consider the league’s best rotation.
"That competitive standard is the start of something deeper," Prior said. "It becomes a brotherhood or a loyalty thing—the urge to uphold the standard set by one or more pitchers. When a rotation builds that culture, teams become incredibly competitive and nearly unbeatable because no one wants to be the weak link."
Ohtani’s pitching comeback began by integrating rehab into game-like scenarios, starting with one-inning stints in mid-June and progressing to five innings by late August. He finished the season with a 3.34 ERA, 90 strikeouts, and 16 walks across 67⅓ innings, including playoffs. While the fastball-heavy approach drew some attention to late-season predictability, his six-pitch command at other times opened doors that many pitchers lack. He also mixed in a splitter during a crucial NLCS moment, further diversifying his arsenal.
"Last year was about getting healthy and returning to pitching," Prior explained. "This year is about refining usage, sharpening the arsenal, and understanding how to attack hitters with what he can do now."
Before spring training ended, Ohtani had completed two bullpen sessions at near-full intensity. By February 23, when he left Dodgers camp to join Japan for the World Baseball Classic (where he’ll bat only), he had thrown two full innings and appeared on track to rejoin the rotation by Opening Day. If Japan advances to the championship, he may face additional hitting sessions and travel constraints that could complicate his practice schedule.
As is Dodgers tradition, they will not rush him. The team’s depth—Emmet Sheehan, River Ryan, Gavin Stone, Kyle Hurt, Roki Sasaki, Landon Knack, and Justin Wrobleski—allows Ohtani to rest between starts, potentially keeping him healthy all year without exceeding 25 starts, a figure more than 80 other pitchers reached in 2025. The opportunity to maximize his contributions remains vast, even with potential obstacles ahead.
"He keeps getting put in spots where something incredible is expected, and he rarely disappoints," said Max Muncy. "For this year, I expect the same—he’s not going to disappoint."
