2 reasons why Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani won't win NL Cy Young award in 2026

TL;DR

Shohei Ohtani of the Los Angeles Dodgers is unlikely to win the NL Cy Young award in 2026 despite a stellar season with an ERA under 1.00. Two significant hurdles could prevent him from securing the award.

Key points

Shohei Ohtani has an ERA under 1.00 this season
Ohtani is a strong candidate for the NL MVP
Two reasons could hinder Ohtani's Cy Young chances
Dodgers are top World Series contenders

Los Angeles DodgersShohei Ohtani

2 reasons why Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani won't win NL Cy Young award in 2026 originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

The Los Angeles Dodgers might be the top World Series contender, and Shohei Ohtani might have a clear path to the NL MVP, but when it comes to the Cy Young award, there's a lot that can go wrong for Ohtani.

While he's been great this season, with an ERA under 1.00, there are still a few reasons why he might miss out on the award this season.

CBS Sports' Matt Snyder highlighted two reasons why Ohtani won't win the Cy Young award this season, and both are hurdles Ohtani will have a very tough time clearing.

2 reasons Shohei Ohtani will miss NL Cy Young award

1. Consistent performance amid a rising workload

"I'm not confident Ohtani can perform this well over a full season while shouldering a full pitcher workload," Snyder writes. "He probably needs to work up to around 180 innings in the regular season, and the Dodgers are going to be worried about the playoffs."

Thanks to the Dodgers pursuit of a World Series for the third straight season, it's going to be hard for to trust Ohtani with a typical pitcher's full workload over the course of a season.

Q&A

What are the reasons Shohei Ohtani won't win the NL Cy Young award in 2026?

Ohtani faces two major hurdles that could hinder his chances of winning the NL Cy Young award this season.

How is Shohei Ohtani performing this season?

Ohtani has been performing exceptionally well this season, boasting an ERA under 1.00.

Who is the top contender for the NL Cy Young award in 2026?

While the article does not specify, it suggests that there are other strong contenders for the NL Cy Young award that Ohtani will have to compete against.

What impact could Ohtani's performance have on the Dodgers' World Series chances?

Ohtani's outstanding performance could significantly enhance the Dodgers' position as a top World Series contender.