​Los Angeles Dodgers two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani is likely done pitching for the season, and his multiple injuries seem to have rendered him ineffectual at the plate as well, making real what for many fans must have seemed like a worst-case scenario this spring.Aug 13, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani (17) strikes out against the Milwaukee Brewers at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn ImagesNow that the playoffs are nearing and Ohtani is slumping, leaving analysts like Dodgers Nation’s Doug McKain asking the “hard questions” about how we got here and what lessons can be learned.Shohei Ohtani has gone from transcendent to ineffectualUp to this point in his career, Ohtani has redefined excellence in baseball — literally.No one had ever had 50 home runs and 50 steals in a season until he did it, and no one has done it since — despite the promises of New York Yankee Jazz Chisholm.The idea of a pitcher going six-plus scoreless innings with 10 strikeouts and then hitting three homers at the plate was inconceivable until Ohtani did just that in Game 4 of the 2025 NLCS.View this post on InstagramA post shared by Dodgers Nation (@dodgersnation)Now, though, Ohtani is slumping, turning his 2026 campaign into an All Star season, but apparently not one that’s MVP worthy, leading some — DMAC included — to ask if that version of Ohtani will ever be back again.To begin with, Father Time is not on Ohtani’s side. He’s 32 years old now, still very much within his most productive seasons but definitely on the back end of his career.Furthermore, Ohtani’s injuries aren’t flukes. His painful left kneecap is an issue he was born with, and it’s plagued him throughout his career.It’s exacerbated by his pitching, as he lands on his left leg, which in turn causes the inflammation and pain.His other injuries aren’t as bad. The bicep and neck pain will likely fade with time, but perhaps even when he’s had months to recover, there’s no guarantee that we’ll see the true dual-threat Ohtani again.Next season, he might decide to pursue his Cy Young goal again and, in doing so, focus more on pitching than hitting.That would leave him more likely to make it through a complete season healthy, but the Dodgers would surely miss his bat.Given those risks, the Dodgers have made some intriguing decisions regarding Ohtani and his injuries, choices that perhaps have worsened the star’s current situation. Dodgers’ injury managementOhtani has clearly been ailing and in the midst of a slump, but it wasn’t until a few days ago that the Dodgers finally rested Ohtani with some games off.Even then, he returned Monday, where those same issues with strikeouts persisted, prompting him to sit again on Tuesday night.As DMAC noted, every player — not just Ohtani — is likely to insist they’re fine, that their bumps and bruises are nothing more than a mental hurdle to be o