From 50/50 to Cy Young? Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani on a Mission
The Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani is on a mission, and it's taking him from the 50/50 club to the Cy Young Award. But here's where it gets controversial...
As a two-way player, Ohtani's ability to juggle pitching and hitting simultaneously has produced two distinct personalities. When he's only hitting, he seems relaxed and jovial. But when he's pitching, his intensity heightens, and a certain edge is apparent. And this is the part most people miss...
Ohtani's aspirations transcended his bandwidth. He wanted to know how his stuff was playing and how hitters were responding, whether the game plan was working or whether adjustments were needed. Often, those talks took place while Ohtani raced to put on his batting equipment and scurry into the on-deck circle. On several occasions, he'd leave a question in the air and expect an answer upon return.
Ohtani's return to pitching began with him essentially moving his rehab into games. He started by throwing one inning at a time in the middle of June and didn't progress to the five-inning mark until the end of August. All told, he put up a 3.34 ERA with 90 strikeouts and 16 walks in 67⅓ innings, playoffs included.
And this is where it gets interesting...
Ohtani's teammates could help him. Twenty-three years ago, Prior formed a devastating rotation duo alongside fellow Chicago Cubs teammate Kerry Wood. Prior became a better pitcher because of it. Later, as Prior evolved into a coach, he saw how Clayton Kershaw's presence elevated the Hyun-Jin Ryu, Walker Buehler, and Julio Urias. Prior believes something similar will play out between Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto, who finished third in NL Cy Young voting last year. Both have as good a chance as anyone to become the first Japanese pitcher to capture MLB's top pitching award.
But here's where it gets controversial again...
Nobody knows how much longer Ohtani will be able to pitch, but his circumstances heading into 2026 make this the ideal time to maximize his potential. His teammates could help him, but opportunity alone could sap his chances at the Cy Young Award. And yet, despite an array of obstacles in front of him, the expectations are once again astronomical. He tends to meet them.
