Shohei Ohtani Sends Direct Message to Dodgers Fans After NLCS Elimination

The Los Angeles Dodgers are looking ahead to 2027 after their 2026 season ended abruptly.

The Dodgers' season ended a week ago after the Milwaukee Brewers swept them. The Brewers returned the favor from last year's National League Championship Series and will now look to win their first-ever World Series title.

Nevertheless, the page has turned to the 2027 season for the Dodgers, and considering how Shohei Ohtani played down the stretch, that may be for the better.

The 32-year-old two-way superstar was a shell of himself from mid-August on, as he struggled to do anything right and did more harm than good for the Dodgers. He was clearly not himself.

With the season ending, Ohtani took to Instagram and sent a message to fans, simply saying, "Thank you."

The first half of the season was one to behold for Ohtani.

Ohtani showed his true two-way prowess, as he was elite on both sides of the ball. He pitched in 14 games in the first half of the season on the mound and was elite as he's ever been.

The four-time MVP posted a 1.79 ERA, 95 strikeouts and allowed a .180 batting average to opposing hitters. Ohtani went 8-2 and pitched 85.2 innings.

Ultimately, Ohtani was shut down from pitching after the All-Star break. He made his last start on his 32nd birthday on July 3.

As for the hitting side, Ohtani began to struggle mightily in mid-August as injuries started to flare up.

Ohtani dealt with a combination of left knee irritation and right biceps tightness. His knee injury flared up in late June, and his right biceps tightness popped up multiple times throughout the year.

Ohtani's offensive decline continued through October. He never had enough time to return to his usual form, as he played through those injuries before eventually landing on the injured list in September.

The Dodgers hoped those two weeks off would help Ohtani get back on track, but that proved to be more wishful thinking. He never looked quite the same, and it was clear his struggles hurt the Dodgers in the long run.

As for 2027, the Dodgers expect Ohtani to return to his two-way status. On top of that, president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman said Wednesday that Ohtani will not require offseason surgery on his left knee or right biceps.

The belief is that Ohtani will heal with rest and be at 100% by the time spring training rolls around.