Ohtani may not be fully stretched out as a pitcher by Opening Day, Sonja Chen of MLB.com reports.

EDGE Analysis

Ohtani is fully expected to be part of Los Angeles' pitching rotation while fulfilling his usual DH duties from the get-go, but it's unclear how stretched out he'll be as a pitcher due to his participation with Samurai Japan during the World Baseball Classic, as he's slated to work exclusively as a hitter during that tournament. Should the two-way star not be ready to handle a full pitching workload right away, it's very possible that he'll have his pitch count capped until he's fully ramped up. In that scenario, Chen suggests that Justin Wrobleski or another long reliever could work in a piggyback role with Ohtani during the early part of the campaign.

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts confirmed Wednesday that Ohtani will remain the team's leadoff hitter during the 2026 season, Katie Woo of The Athletic reports.

EDGE Analysis

For the first time since his final season with the Angels in 2023, Ohtani is preparing for a full season of pitching, but that won't affect the Dodgers' approach with him as their everyday designated hitter. After slugging a career-high 55 home runs while making 148 of his 158 starts out of the leadoff spot during the 2025 regular season, the four-time MVP will continue to set the table for Los Angeles once again in 2026. Per Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic, Ohtani is expected to start at DH in the Dodgers' first two Cactus League games this weekend to get some competitive at-bats under his belt before he joins Team Japan in advance of the World Baseball Classic. Roberts has already said that Ohtani won't pitch for Japan in the WBC, but the two-way phenom will likely continue to build up through bullpen and live batting practice sessions throughout the spring to ensure that he'll be part of the Dodgers' Opening Day rotation.

Ohtani indicated Saturday that he'll be ready to take on a full two-way role at the outset of the 2026 regular season, Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic reports.

EDGE Analysis

Ohtani began last year continuing to rehab from September 2023 Tommy John surgery and didn't pitch in a major-league game until mid-June. He was managed carefully upon his return to the mound, as he finished the regular season with a modest 47 innings over 14 starts. The superstar was very effective as a hurler, though, posting a 2.87 ERA, 1.04 WHIP and 62:9 K:BB during those appearances. The leash was loosened in the postseason, as Ohtani completed six frames in each of his first three playoff outings and then started Game 7 of the World Series on three days of rest. After getting through the summer and fall with no arm issues, Ohtani is now set to slot into the Dodgers' rotation from the outset of the 2026 campaign. There will likely still be some careful management of Ohtani as a pitcher -- manager Dave Roberts stated Saturday that the two-way star won't pitch for Japan in the World Baseball Classic, and he's expected to continue to be part of a six-man rotation with Los Angeles -- but Roberts also said that Ohtani will be treated as a normal pitcher on days when he takes the mound.

Ohtani was named the National League MVP on Thursday.

EDGE Analysis

Ohtani won the award unanimously for the third straight season and for the fourth time overall. Though he wasn't as active on the basepaths, Ohtani still hit an exceptional 55 home runs with a 1.014 OPS across 725 plate appearances. He also returned to the mound to record a 2.87 ERA across 47.0 innings.

Ohtani didn't factor into the decision against the Blue Jays in Game 7 of the World Series on Saturday, allowing three runs on five hits and two walks while striking out three batters over 2.1 innings. He also went 2-for-5 with a walk as a batter.

EDGE Analysis

Ohtani struggled throughout his time on the mound, but he managed to get through two scoreless innings despite allowing four baserunners over that span. He wasn't able to escape in the third, however, as Bo Bichette tagged him for a three-run homer in that frame, leading to his exit. Ohtani did manage to reach base three times as a hitter, and over the seven-game series he batted .333 with three home runs, three doubles, five RBI, six runs and nine walks. As a pitcher, he was less effective, yielding seven earned runs while posting a 9:3 K:BB across 8.1 frames.

Ohtani will start Game 7 of the World Series against the Blue Jays on Saturday.

EDGE Analysis

Ohtani will be pitching on short rest after making it through six innings during a loss in Game 4 on Tuesday. The 31-year-old owns a 3.50 ERA and 0.89 WHIP with 25 strikeouts through 18 innings so far in the postseason and will be opposed by Max Scherzer in Saturday's winner-take-all contest.

Ohtani took the loss in Game 4 of the World Series against the Blue Jays on Tuesday after allowing four earned runs on six hits and a walk while striking out six batters over six-plus innings. He also went 0-for-3 with a walk and two strikeouts as a batter.

EDGE Analysis

After getting through the first two innings without giving up a run, Ohtani allowed a single to Nathan Lukes in the third before serving up a home run to Vladimir Guerrero in the ensuing at-bat. The two-way superstar kept the game close for the next several innings but was pulled after allowing the first two men he faced in the seventh to reach base -- both of whom eventually came around to score. Ohtani is likely now done making starts on the mound for the Dodgers this postseason, but he will likely be available out of the bullpen for the remainder of the series and also remains one of the most dynamic bats in Los Angeles' lineup.

Ohtani picked up the win against the Brewers on Friday in Game 4 of the NLCS, allowing two hits and three walks while striking out 10 batters across six-plus shutout innings. He also went 3-for-3 with three home runs and a walk as a batter.

EDGE Analysis

In what could certainly be considered the greatest single-game performance in MLB history, Ohtani's dominance as both a pitcher and hitter was on full display Friday. He struck out the side in the top of the first before giving himself a 1-0 lead with a 446-foot leadoff home run off Jose Quintana in the bottom of the frame. The two-way star then slugged a 469-foot shot off Chad Patrick in the fourth and completed the hat trick with a seventh-inning blast against Trevor Megill that traveled a mere 427 feet. After rattling off four consecutive victories over the Brewers, Ohtani and the Dodgers will now have a full week to rest up before facing either the Blue Jays or Mariners in what will be Los Angeles' second consecutive World Series appearance.

Ohtani picked up the win against the Phillies on Saturday, allowing three earned runs on three hits and one walk while striking out nine batters across six innings.

EDGE Analysis

Making his first career postseason start, Ohtani set the Phillies down in order in the bottom of the first inning before getting into trouble in the second. Ohtani walked Alec Bohm and gave up a single to Brandon Marsh before J.T. Realmuto belted a two-run triple. Harrison Bader added a sacrifice fly two batters later, and that was the extent of the damage. At the plate, Ohtani went 0-for-4 with four strikeouts and one walk. Ohtani would likely be available to make his next start Thursday in Game 4 if the series gets to that point, though Tyler Glasnow was previously named as a starter for the series. Glasnow appeared out of the bullpen Saturday, throwing 1.2 scoreless innings.

Ohtani went 2-for-5 with two home runs and three RBI in Tuesday's win over the Reds in Game 1 of the National League Wild Card Series.

EDGE Analysis

He opened the home half of the first inning with an absolute laser, turning a triple-digit fastball from Hunter Greene around at 117.7 mph off the bat. Ohtani later touched up reliever Connor Phillips for a long ball measured at 454 feet, the longest home run recorded by Statcast in Dodgers postseason history, per Sonja Chen of MLB.com. The two-way phenom could make a start on the mound in Game 3 against Cincinnati, if necessary, or in Game 1 of the NLDS against Philadelphia.