Shohei Ohtani has dealt with a plethora of injury problems over the past few months, which has hampered his performance significantly. In fact, the Los Angeles Dodgers were debating whether or not it was in their best interest to bench Ohtani in Game 3 of the NLCS as the Milwaukee Brewers started a lefty on the mound. In the end, Ohtani suited up in all four games of what ended up being a sweep at the hands of the Brewers, putting an abrupt end to their chase for three-consecutive World Series titles.

At the very least, Ohtani put up a valiant stand in Game 4. In the second inning, he hit a three-run home run to put the Dodgers up by four — giving the fans at Dodger Stadium some hope to cling to before the Brewers completed the comeback victory.

Now, Ohtani should have a full offseason of rest and recovery ahead. The concern is that the 32-year-old superstar may have to undergo surgery, although the Dodgers star said that it is “hard to tell” yet if he will have to go under the knife this offseason, as per Katie Woo of The Athletic.

Ohtani also made it clear that despite all the injury problems he went through in 2026, he still plans to pitch next season. It's too early to tell, however, whether or not the Dodgers agree with his assessment.

The 32-year-old two-way star began to slow down around August. The Dodgers placed Ohtani on the injured list in early September to give him time to recover with the postseason looming as he dealt with biceps and knee problems.

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Ohtani returned to the lineup on the 23rd of September, and it became evident quickly that he wasn't 100% healthy yet. He posted an OPS of .558 through his final five contests of the regular season, and he didn't fare much better in the postseason, posting a .630 OPS through eight playoff contests.

Getting the 32-year-old back to full health will be crucial for the Dodgers in their quest for redemption next season.