Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani already has a Hall of Fame-caliber resume, considering his two World Series titles, four MVP awards, five All-Star appearances and four Silver Slugger awards.
At 31 years old, Ohtani is still just getting started, especially with how he tends to take care of his body and his other worldly athleticisim, but the 2026 season should be the peak of his powers as a two-way player, with experience and knowledge that should give him a platform to have his best season.
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With everything coming together for Ohtani, the question remains: What is still left for Ohtani to do?
He has already created the 50/50 club, followed by reaching a career high of 55 home runs in 2025, along with a top-five Cy Young finish in 2022.
Los Angeles Dodgers Shohei Ohtani tosses his bat after hitting a three run home run against the Arizona Diamondbacks in the ninth inning at Chase Field in Phoenix on May 9, 2025. Mandatory Credit: Rob Schumacher-Arizona Republic
The combination of his pitching and hitting success is what makes him such a special player, though there are still two key awards that have eluded him, along with one specific benchmark that would put him in a special category of his own.
Here are three realistic goals Ohtani can strive for in 2026:
Cy Young
Finishing in the top five in Cy Young voting in a season where Ohtani hit 34 home runs, drove in 95 RBIs, and slashed .273/.356/.519 is quite the feat, but Ohtani will want to get a Cy Young before it is all said and done.
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He has all of the capabilities to do so in terms of stuff, pitch mix, and command when he is dialed in, and he can be supremely effective despite his hitting duties.
The Dodgers will likely give him extra rest to make sure he peaks late in the season, but they will also support his goals and ambition, giving him the chance to get as many innings as reasonably possible. Ohtani will have to make the most out of it.
60 Home Runs
Only seven MLB players have hit 60 or more home runs in a single season, with the most recent example being Cal Raleigh, who did so in 2025 as a catcher.
The other players have been Barry Bonds, Mark McGwire, and Sammy Sosa, as well as Roger Maris and Babe Ruth.
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Ohtani has come close during the last two seasons, with 54 and 55 home runs, respectively. This goal will only be possible if he ends up pitching short starts, serving as an opener.
It is no surprise that his best offensive season came in 2024, when he did not pitch at all, and his second-best season — 2025 — was one in which he pitched only 47 innings.
With a full season of pitching work as a top-of-the-line starter and his ambitions of winning a Cy Young, Ohtani would need to adopt a more slug-focused approach to make the most of his adaptations, taking a hit to his batting average, to reach this exclusive club.
Batting Title
For Ohtani to win a batting crown, he would need to hit at least .300 to be in the running, which he has done in two seasons, 2023 and 2024, though he has been in the .280 range in three other seasons.
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Ohtani has the hitting tools to challenge for a batting title, something he has already done, but to get it over the line, he may need to adopt an approach that is even more patient and focuses less on slugging.
The batting title and 60 home run goals are at odds with each other, but if he were to do both of these things, along with a Cy Young-winning season, Ohtani would be cemented as the greatest player of all time and have the best season of all-time.