The Los Angeles Dodgers say Shohei Ohtani will not require offseason surgery, and they expect him to pitch again next season. Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman made the point during a Wednesday remarks, with coverage agreeing that surgery is “not on the table” for injuries Ohtani dealt with during the most recent campaign.
Multiple outlets tie the discussion to Ohtani’s performance and health limitations late in the year, when he dealt with injuries to his left knee and right biceps. Some coverage frames the news around what it means for his immediate offseason plans—while others extend the focus to how the Dodgers intend to use him in a future timeline as a two-way player.
While the core message is consistent across outlets, the emphasis differs. ESPN and Yahoo Sports focus most directly on Friedman’s expectation that Ohtani will pitch again, CBS Sports and The Athletic also highlight the team’s broader plan for Ohtani’s role, and Free Malaysia Today and the New York Post foreground the connection between his struggles, the Dodgers’ playoff exit, and the idea that surgery is not being considered.
