“I wasn’t good enough”: Ohtani’s bitter admission after his collapse ... “I’ll return to the mound next year, of course”

[Financial News] The Los Angeles Dodgers, the “Evil Empire” charging toward a third straight World Series title, saw their grand dream shattered in the humiliation of a four-game sweep. Their star player, Shohei Ohtani (32), who had played with all his heart and hit a home run, also bowed his head in bitterness, acknowledging his shortcomings.
The Dodgers suffered a painful 6-4 comeback loss to the Milwaukee Brewers in Game 4 of the 2026 Major League Baseball (MLB) postseason National League Championship Series (NLCS, best-of-seven) at UNIQLO Field at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, California, on the 16th (Korea time).
The Dodgers thus lost Games 1 through 4 of the NLCS and were eliminated with a 0-4 series record, falling short of their long-awaited third consecutive World Series title.

After an extreme hitting slump, Ohtani finally came alive that day. With his team leading 1-0, he launched a thunderous three-run homer in his second plate appearance in the bottom of the second, recording his first extra-base hit of this postseason. After watching the ball, Ohtani turned toward the dugout and let out an unusually loud roar, releasing his pent-up emotions. But the joy was short-lived. He struck out in each of his next three plate appearances, and the team’s bullpen also faltered, allowing the Brewers to take the lead.
After the game, Ohtani candidly acknowledged the grim reality in an interview with local media. “The game showed clearly that Milwaukee is a strong, good team. I have to admit that I wasn’t good enough,” he said. “I’m disappointed that we fell short of our goal, but I hope to have a better season next year based on this experience.”
He also spoke candidly about the injury troubles that haunted him this year, when he gave up his two-way role and focused solely on hitting. Ohtani, who struggled with injuries to his left knee and right biceps, said, “I’ll revisit my treatment options and training program from the ground up and prepare for next season. I’ll definitely return to pitching next year. It’s difficult to decide right now whether to have surgery, though, and I’ll discuss it closely with the team during the offseason.”

Even amid the shock of elimination, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts firmly stood by the team’s star player.
Roberts defended Ohtani’s roar after his second-inning homer, saying, “It was an outpouring of anger and frustration that had built up. That was the best-struck ball he’s hit in the last 2–3 months. Showing those emotions demonstrates how desperately he wants to win. He’s human, after all.”
Roberts went on to reaffirm his strong faith in Ohtani, saying, “Ohtani is the best player in the world, but he isn’t in perfect physical shape right now. I deeply respect that, despite not being at 100%, he didn’t make excuses and kept trying to take the field.”
[email protected] Jeon Sang-il Reporter