Prior looks forward to witnessing the "complete Shohei Ohtani" in 2026: he will lead the Dodgers in pursuit of a three-peat

Los Angeles Dodgers pitching coach Mark Prior is excited about witnessing what he refers to as the "complete Shohei Ohtani" in the 2026 season.

“Last year was obviously a very unique season,” Prior said on the Dodgers Realm program on February 7, “He had just come back from Tommy John surgery and then suffered a shoulder injury on his non-pitching arm. This year, however, we expect to see the full version.”

The last time we saw the "complete" Ohtani was in 2023, when the two-way star was still with the Los Angeles Angels. He hit 44 home runs in 23 starts with an OPS of 1.066, while his pitching ERA was just 3.14 until a partial tear of the ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow sidelined him from pitching in August.

After 22 months away from the mound in the majors, Ohtani returned to pitching on June 16 last year. He essentially completed his rehab on the big league field, gradually increasing from one inning to a full postseason starter workload. Throughout the regular season, Ohtani started 14 games and posted a 2.87 ERA over 47 innings pitched.

In October, Shohei Ohtani showcased his breathtaking two-way talent. The four-time MVP started four playoff games (including Game 7 of the World Series) and delivered one of the greatest single-game performances in baseball history during Game 4 of the National League Championship Series: he single-handedly eliminated the Milwaukee Brewers by pitching 6 scoreless innings with 10 strikeouts while also hitting three home runs.

“Watching him play is going to be a lot of fun,” Prior marveled.

Ohtani will represent Japan in this year’s World Baseball Classic but will not pitch. According to Prior, Ohtani is currently working out in the bullpen as the team aims to have him face live batters before he departs for the Classic.

“What’s most valuable about Ohtani is that as long as he knows his pitching schedule, he’s always willing to take the mound,” Prior said. “Whether it’s six days, eight days, or three days of rest — whenever the team needs him, he’ll give his all for the win.”

Since joining the Dodgers before the 2024 season, Ohtani has undoubtedly made significant contributions. Los Angeles is on track to become the first team since the 1998-2000 Yankees to win three consecutive championships, and they will have a "complete" Shohei Ohtani leading the way.