Shohei Ohtani stands out in the major leagues with his exceptional ability to both hit and pitch at a high level. In the 2026 season, he has already hit 15 home runs and achieved a 1.06 ERA.
In an interview with Chris Rose on “Dugout Discussions,” Seattle Mariners pitcher Bryan Woo shared his thoughts on the most challenging aspects of Ohtani’s game.
“Everybody in the major leagues understands how hard it is (to do what Ohtani does),” Woo said (Timestamp: 12:25). “I think the tough part beyond how well he’s doing is just the toll on his body that it takes to do that.”
“How I feel just pitching, I can’t imagine playing everyday and being in the lineup everyday. Hitting on the same day as pitching, and hitting leadoff homers. That part is beyond comprehension. We’re just like everybody else. Like, he still blows us away as much as every other fan.”
“I feel pretty confident” – Shohei Ohtani opens up about his confidence levels after minor knee injury
Shohei Ohtani left the field during the Dodgers’ 8-6 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates due to inflammation in his left knee and hamstring, which occurred while he was attempting to steal a base.
Further scans showed no structural damage, but Ohtani will need to adjust his mechanics slightly to play through the injury.
While answering reporters’ questions on Saturday, he discussed his fitness and confidence, reflecting on what might have caused the minor injury.
“I felt good waking up in the morning, feel good now,” Ohtani said, via his translator Will Ereton. “I’m pretty confident I’ll be able to stay healthy and I should be good to go tomorrow as well. I think it’s hard to pinpoint the moment it happened.”
“I think my mechanics weren’t quite great in terms of my pitching side. So I believe that had something to do with this. I wasn’t a hundred percent today (while throwing the ball). But with the next three-four days I feel pretty confident.”
Despite concerns about his ability to pitch, Shohei Ohtani maintained his schedule and pitched against the Tampa Bay Rays on Wednesday, although he did not make any appearances at the plate.
Edited by Raghav Mehta
