Shohei Ohtani Sets Sights on Cy Young Award in Fully Healthy 2026 Season
A dominant pitching performance could be the final piece of Shohei Ohtani’s illustrious career, as the Los Angeles Dodgers superstar prepares for the 2026 Major League Baseball season with a clean bill of health.
The four-time MLB Most Valuable Player and two-time World Series champion has yet to secure the Cy Young Award, recognizing outstanding pitching, but 2026 could be the year he adds this prestigious honor to his trophy case. Ohtani is expected to have no pitching restrictions this season, a crucial factor in his pursuit of the award.
Dodgers Manager Expects Ohtani to Compete for Cy Young
During the Dodgers’ first spring training workouts for pitchers and catchers in Arizona on February 14, 2026, manager Dave Roberts expressed unwavering confidence in Ohtani’s potential. “Regardless of my expectations for him, his are going to exceed those,” Roberts stated. “I think it’s fair to say he expects to be in the Cy Young conversation. But we just want him to be healthy and make starts. All the numbers and statistics will take care of themselves.”
Ohtani arrives at spring training after a full off-season dedicated to rehabilitation, a stark contrast to the previous year. Following two right elbow operations in 2023, he didn’t return to pitching for the Dodgers until June of last year.
A Return to Two-Way Dominance
Despite opting not to pitch for Japan in the upcoming Baseball World Classic, Ohtani anticipates a full return to his two-way player role for the first time since 2023. His most impressive two-way season to date came in 2022 with the Los Angeles Angels, where he posted a 15-9 record with a 2.33 earned run average, finishing fourth in the American League Cy Young voting. The award that year went to Justin Verlander, followed by Dylan Cease and Alek Manoah.
“Getting a Cy Young means being able to throw more innings and being able to pitch throughout the whole season,” Ohtani explained. “So if that’s the end result, that’s a good sign for me.”
Competition Looms, But Ohtani is Focused
The competition for the Cy Young Award will be fierce. Paul Skenes, the 2025 National League Cy Young Award winner, is expected to be a strong contender once again. Ohtani’s Dodgers teammate, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, also presents a significant challenge.
To truly contend, Ohtani will need to be utilized as a consistent starting pitcher throughout the season. He is currently focused on building his arm strength, even while prioritizing hitting during his participation in the World Baseball Classic, scheduled for March 5-17. “I’m not really sure how I’ll be able to practice in the WBC setting, so I’m going to try to ramp up as much as I can to the point where I’m throwing a live (batting practice), which should be next week,” Ohtani said. “That’s at least the goal, to be able to ramp up to the point where I’m throwing live BPs.”
The 2026 season promises to be a pivotal one for Shohei Ohtani, as he aims to cement his legacy as one of baseball’s all-time greats with a Cy Young Award victory.
© 2026 AFP
