Fully recovered Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani kicked off 2026 spring training healthy and pitching, with manager Dave Roberts placing him in the Cy Young conversation—the one major award missing from his stellar resume.
The Dodgers' pitchers and catchers reported February 14, 2026, at Camelback Ranch in Glendale, Arizona, where two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani resumed mound work after his third bullpen session of the spring went smoothly.
A five-time All-Star, four-time MVP, two-time World Series champion and World Baseball Classic winner, the 31-year-old Ohtani enters his third Dodgers season eyeing the Cy Young Award. Manager Dave Roberts said, "I think it’s fair to say he expects to be in the Cy Young conversation. We just want him to be healthy, make starts, and all the numbers and statistics will take care of themselves."
Ohtani will return to full-time two-way duties for the first time since 2023, after elbow surgery sidelined his pitching in 2024. He made 14 regular-season starts in 2025 (1-1, 2.87 ERA) before going 3-0 with a 4.43 ERA in four postseason outings, helping the Dodgers to back-to-back titles by beating the Toronto Blue Jays in Game 7—the first repeat champions in 25 years.
Describing a 'normal' offseason despite its brevity, Ohtani arrived early at camp and plans live batting practice next week before the World Baseball Classic (March 6-17), where—as previously announced—he will hit only for Japan to protect his health. Roberts emphasized long-term caution: "As much as people think that he’s not human, he’s still a human being who has had two major surgeries."
The WBC timing challenges prep for the March 26 opener vs. the Arizona Diamondbacks, but Roberts remains flexible: "It’s delicate. We’ll know more in the next couple weeks."
As World Series favorites, the Dodgers bolstered their roster with outfielder Kyle Tucker's four-year, $240 million deal and reliever Edwin Díaz's three-year, $69 million contract. Díaz, with a 1.63 ERA and 28 saves last year, also threw Friday.
