Shohei Ohtani said on October 2, 2026, that he will focus on his offense during the postseason after managing pain and an injured-list stint.
“I just want to focus on my offense,” Ohtani said. He noted that he is monitoring his workload, including in practice, as his condition improves: “I'm just mindful of the volume, including in my practice.” Ohtani stated that his physical condition is now much better than it was before his injured-list stint, saying, “it's in much better shape now.”
Ohtani explained that he concentrated on finding solutions rather than giving up during a difficult season. “I was just focused on finding a solution,” he said, adding that playing through pain was unpleasant but “it's not like I was looking down.” He also said the World Baseball Classic made the season feel unusually long because of the early challenge, travel and adjustment required: “having the WBC really makes the season feel so long.”
Ohtani faced Yoshinobu Yamamoto and described the matchup as meaningful live action. “I was able to stand in for a few at-bats and see each of his pitches,” Ohtani mentioned. He also said the postseason brought “a feeling of anticipation and excitement.” Ohtani said he spent 15 days on the injured list and did not play for approximately two weeks, claims he made in discussing the stint.
During the injured-list stint, Ohtani spent time at home with his children. “I spent so much time with my kids,” he said, explaining that having people around made a significant mental difference: “Since there were so many people around, it made a big difference mentally.” Ohtani described interacting mainly with his daughter using his left hand while protecting his right arm: “I've been doing my best with my left hand, mainly with my daughter.” He added, “my daughter is fine with just my left hand, but my son is a bit too much for that.”
Ohtani also stated that the 2026 season began with the World Baseball Classic, that he has participated in three postseasons and that he is aiming for a third straight title. His stated plan for the postseason is to focus on offense while continuing to monitor his workload.