Shohei Ohtani Shutdown as Pitcher Being Considered amid Injury, Dodgers' Dave Roberts Says

Shohei Ohtani may not pitch again the rest of the season

Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts told reporters Wednesday the team is considering shutting down Ohtani as a pitcher for the rest of 2026 but has not fully made that decision.

He also said playing corner outfield is "not on the table."

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At this point, the 2026 Dodgers are accustomed to playing without Ohtani as a pitcher.

He last appeared on the mound on July 3 but has continued to be one of the league's best hitters with a .281/.383/.530 slash line, 30 home runs and 80 RBI. While he is at his most valuable when he is thriving both at the plate and on the mound, Ohtani has remained one of the best players in all of baseball as just a hitter.

Los Angeles also has no shortage of star power in its starting rotation.

Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Tarik Skubal, Blake Snell and Tyler Glasnow make up arguably the best starting rotation in baseball and will be a daunting matchup for any opponent come playoff time. A third straight World Series title could be in the cards simply based on the starting pitching alone.

While losing a pitcher of Ohtani's quality from the rotation may be impossible to overcome for most teams, the Dodgers are well equipped to continue thriving.

What this may have the biggest impact on is the National League MVP race. Chicago Cubs star Pete Crow-Armstrong is a massive -1,500 favorite (bet $1,500 to win $100) on FanDuel Sportsbook with Ohtani a distant second at +750.

Ohtani's pitching is what makes him so unique, especially in MVP discussions. But if he spends the majority of the season as a designated hitter while Crow-Armstrong is playing elite defense in centerfield and putting up similar or better offensive numbers, the Cubs star may continue to pull away in the discussion.