What happened: Shohei Ohtani is set to return to pitching in 2027. Club officials called the two-way value incredible and said finding the best deployment is the priority.

Why it matters: Two-way availability shapes rotation construction and offseason roster planning for 2027. Restoring mound duty would return his most distinctive competitive advantage.

What to watch: Watch for offseason throwing progression and spring plans to define his pitching workload.