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Dodgers Say Shohei Ohtani Won’t Need Surgery

By Drooid · Oct 22, 2026, 3:12 PM UTC · How we work

Summary

Story summary

The Los Angeles Dodgers announced Shohei Ohtani will not undergo surgery and is expected to pitch in 2027.
Andrew Friedman said doctors prescribed only rest for Ohtani’s knee and biceps.
Ohtani stopped pitching after July 3, finishing 8-2 with a 1.79 ERA in 85 2/3 innings.
He hit a three-run homer in Game 4 NLCS ending a 25-game postseason drought.

History

Historical Context

In 1995 Hideo Nomo became the first Japanese-born pitcher to start a Major League game, posting a 13–6 record, 2.54 ERA and 236 strikeouts for the Los Angeles Dodgers. His success sparked MLB scouting in Japan and opened the path for Shohei Ohtani. Dodgers president Andrew Friedman now points to Nomo’s injury-free return as a model for Ohtani’s decision to skip surgery.

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Story summary

The Los Angeles Dodgers announced Shohei Ohtani will not undergo surgery and is expected to pitch in 2027.
Andrew Friedman said doctors prescribed only rest for Ohtani’s knee and biceps.
Ohtani stopped pitching after July 3, finishing 8-2 with a 1.79 ERA in 85 2/3 innings.
He hit a three-run homer in Game 4 NLCS ending a 25-game postseason drought.

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