Los Angeles Dodgers megastar is on top of the baseball world right now, but he might rise even higher in 2026. The 31-year-old has seemingly done everything possible (and more) in Major League Baseball. Even so, ESPN\u2019s Alden Gonzalez believes Ohtani will do something in 2026 he\u2019s never done before. Gonzalez predicted that Ohtani will win his first Cy Young Award.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe won the World Series in his first trip to the postseason \u2014 then another one \u2014 and started the 50\/50 club in a year in which he could not pitch, becoming the first full-time designated hitter to win an MVP,\u201d Gonzalez wrote on January 2<\/a>. \u201cHe has four of those trophies now, all in a span of just five years. But there is one thing remaining for Ohtani to establish himself as the greatest baseball player ever, and that is to assert his dominance as a pitcher.\u201d<\/p>\n Advertisement<\/p>\n \u201cDon\u2019t think for one second he hasn\u2019t noticed that, either,\u201d Gonzalez continued. \u201cBecause for all the praise he has received for his offensive dominance and two-way persona, Ohtani\u2019s pitching has long been considered inferior to his hitting. Some have wondered if he should give it up entirely. This year \u2026 will be the one when Ohtani asserts his dominance on the mound like never before. By the end of it, there will be no doubt \u2014 nobody has or ever will be like Shohei Ohtani.\u201d<\/p>\n Ohtani\u2019s 2025 MLB season with the Dodgers solidified his status as baseball\u2019s premier two-way star. Returning to the mound after elbow surgery, he posted a 1-1 record with a 2.87 ERA over 14 starts, striking out 62 batters in 47 innings while issuing just nine walks. At the plate, Ohtani batted .282 with 55 home runs\u2014setting a Dodgers franchise record\u2014along with 102 RBIs, 146 runs scored (leading MLB), and 20 stolen bases.<\/p>\n He became the first player ever to hit 50 homers, draw 100 walks, and steal 20 bases in a single year. His efforts earned him a unanimous National League MVP\u2014his fourth overall and second straight with the Dodgers\u2014a Silver Slugger, and League Championship Series MVP honors, culminating in his second World Series title.<\/p>\n Advertisement<\/p>\n Over his MLB career since 2018, Ohtani has amassed a .282 average, 280 home runs, 669 RBIs, and 165 stolen bases as a hitter, while compiling a 39-20 record with 624 strikeouts as a pitcher. From his Rookie of the Year debut with the Los Angeles Angels to back-to-back championships with the Dodgers, Ohtani\u2019s unprecedented versatility has redefined the game.<\/p>\n More MLB:<\/p>\n