Ohtani won't require surgery; Dodgers 'fully expect him to pitch next year'
Shohei Ohtani will not require surgery to treat any ailment he dealt with this past season, Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman said Wednesday.

Shohei Ohtani: What Happened
ESPN reported on Sunday, October 25, 2026 in a story involving Shohei Ohtani, Andrew Friedman, Dodgers. Here is how the report opens:
Shohei Ohtani will not require surgery to treat any ailment he dealt with this past season, Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman said Wednesday. And: "I fully expect him to pitch next year," Friedman added.
It is one of many Baseball stories we are following today. Below are the key takeaways, how the story is being reported across the sport, background on Major League Baseball and what to watch next.
Key Takeaways
- The story: Ohtani won't require surgery; Dodgers 'fully expect him to pitch next year'
- Who’s involved: Shohei Ohtani, Andrew Friedman and Dodgers
- League: Baseball
- First reported: Sunday, October 25, 2026 by ESPN
Background: Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball league in North America composed of 30 teams, divided equally between the National League (NL) and the American League (AL), with 29 in the United States and 1 in Canada. MLB is the oldest major professional sports league in the United States and Canada and is considered the premier baseball league in the world. Each team plays 162 games per season, with Opening Day held during the last week of March or the first week of April. Six teams in each league then advance to a four-round postseason tournament in October, culminating in the World Series, a best-of-seven championship series between the two league champions first played in 1903.
Text from Wikipedia’s Major League Baseball article, CC BY-SA 4.0.
What’s Next for Shohei Ohtani
For fans following Shohei Ohtani, the next things to watch are the free agency, trade rumors, postseason and standings. Stories like this one tend to move quickly, so check back for follow-up reports and reaction as more outlets pick it up.
- Latest Baseball news today: every MLB headline as it breaks
- Live scores and schedules across every sport we cover
- More Shohei Ohtani news from around the web
- Around the Web: today’s top sports stories from every outlet
More Baseball News Today
Trade Candidate: Teoscar Hernandez
Teoscar Hernandez’s shaky 2023 season with the Mariners didn’t establish much of a platform as the outfielder entered free agency for the first time, and the result was one-year, $23.5MM deal with the Dodgers. Hernandez…
Will the Brewers lose again this year?
Milwaukee is cooking, y’all. After winning 103 regular season games, they blew through the Padres in the Division Series, swept the Dodgers in 4 games in the Championship Series and currently have a 2-0 lead in the…
Japanese baseball faces existential threat as Dodgers loom for teenage pitching star
His favorite player is Yoshinobu Yamamoto. He follows one major league team on Instagram: The Dodgers. And while people familiar with his situation insist he hasn’t made a decision, the...
Offseason Outlook: Los Angeles Dodgers
The Dodgers fell short in their pursuit of a three-peat but the roster is still loaded with talent for another run in 2027. Guaranteed Contracts Shohei Ohtani, RHP/DH: $490MM through 2033 ($68MM deferred annually)…
Rocco Baldelli withdraws from Mariners manager search
One of the biggest names remaining in the Mariners’ coaching search has reportedly dropped out
Rocco Baldelli Withdraws Name From Mariners’ Managerial Search
Rocco Baldelli was a candidate to be the Mariners’ next manager, but the former Twins skipper has removed himself from the search due to “family considerations,” The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal reports. The news leaves…
Frequently Asked Questions
What happened with Shohei Ohtani?
Shohei Ohtani will not require surgery to treat any ailment he dealt with this past season, Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman said Wednesday. And: "I fully expect him to pitch next year," Friedman added. ESPN reported the story on Sunday, October 25, 2026.
Who reported this MLB story?
ESPN first reported it on Sunday, October 25, 2026. ForTheFans summarizes it here with background and related Baseball news.
Where can I get the latest Baseball news today?
The ForTheFans Baseball page collects every MLB headline as it breaks, including free agency, trade rumors and postseason, with live scores on our scores page.
Summarized by ForTheFans from reporting by ESPN. Headlines, quoted text and photos belong to their publishers. How we report
Baseball Explainers From ForTheFans
Infield Fly Rule and Balk Explained: Baseball's Two Most Confusing Rules
An out on a ball nobody caught, and a free base for a pitcher's twitch. Here is how baseball's infield fly rule and the balk actually work.
MLB Lockout Explained: Why a Work Stoppage Looks Likely After the World Series
The World Series ends, the clock starts ticking and a salary cap fight takes center stage. Here is everything you need to know.
Jacob Misiorowski: The 105 MPH Brewers Ace Starting Game 1 of the World Series
The hardest-throwing starter in the pitch-tracking era gets the ball on baseball's biggest stage. Meet the Miz.






