Los Angeles Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani is chasing the last major award that’s eluded him so far in his career, though he recently said this could be be running out of time to do so.
Ohtani, 31, has had plenty of success as a hitter, but he’s never been honored with a Cy Young Award for his pitching.
In 2026, he’s going for the Cy Young, something that’s been an open topic of discussion in the Dodgers clubhouse and elsewhere.
Why is Shohei Ohtani going for the Cy Young now?
Coming off of three straight MVP awards and in pursuit of a three-peat, it would make sense if Ohtani wanted to stick with what’s been working.
Instead, though, he’s chasing pitching’s highest honor, something he told a Japanese magazine is only an option for a limited time.
“Inside, I’m assuming this is my last chance as a pitcher,” Ohtani told the Japanese sports magazine Number, as detailed by Dylan Hernandez of the California Post.
Ohtani turns 32 on July 5, and the new father of two said he’s trying to avoid his pitching career being “thin and long,” something Hernandez explained as meaning “he didn’t want to limit his effort for the sake of longevity.”
“I’m not saying it’s OK for it to be short,” Ohtani said, “but what’s most important to me is for it to be as thick as possible.”
Hernandez added that Ohtani “intends to go all-out.”
“He wants to be as good as he can be, and that can only happen if he doesn’t hold back,” he wrote. “If he gets hurt, he gets hurt.”
What risks does Shohei Ohtani face?
Dodgers Nation’s Noel Sanchez pointed out that Ohtani is continuing his Cy Young pursuit through knee inflammation and a painful blister on the middle finger on his throwing hand.
“Ohtani wants to make good on his promise to the Dodgers, and that’s not just about winning titles to him,” Sanchez said. “He wants to be the unicorn for LA, the best possible pitcher and the best possible hitter at the exact same time, and he’s putting his body on the line more than ever for it.”
