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It is not a difficult task to quantify the greatness of Shohei Ohtani. During his eight-year career, he has been a four-time MVP, a five-time All-Star, a two-time World Series champion and... Well, you get the point.
However, with all the accolades attached to Ohtani, one has continued to elude him: A Cy Young award. According to ESPN’s “Bold 2026 MLB Predictions: World Series picks, trades, more,” Next season will be his year.
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“He won the World Series in his first trip to the postseason -- then another one -- and started the 50/50 club in a year in which he could not pitch, becoming the first full-time designated hitter to win an MVP,” it wrote. “He has four of those trophies now, all in a span of just five years. But there is one thing remaining for Ohtani to establish himself as the greatest baseball player ever, and that is to assert his dominance as a pitcher.”
Ohtani has faced adversity on the mound. He did not pitch for well over a year after undergoing his second major surgery on his right elbow to repair a UCL tear in 2023. When he finally made his way back to a Major League Baseball mound in the middle of June, he only got to make 14 regular season starts before it was time for the playoffs.
“Don't think for one second he hasn't noticed that, either. Because for all the praise he has received for his offensive dominance and two-way persona, Ohtani's pitching has long been considered inferior to his hitting. Some have wondered if he should give it up entirely.”
“This year, while sharing a rotation with two of his countrymen and benefitting from the Dodgers' resources, will be the one when Ohtani asserts his dominance on the mound like never before. By the end of it, there will be no doubt -- nobody has or ever will be like Shohei Ohtani.”
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Ohtani has the capabilities to climb the National League pitching ranks and add the Cy Young award to his resume. No one will soon forget his dominant 10-strike out performance coupled with three home runs in Game 4 of the National League Championship Series last season to complete the sweep of the Milwaukee Brewers. The real question is whether he can remain healthy enough to elevate his pitching to the level needed to claim the award.
English (US) ·