Shohei Ohtani's Pitching Return Could Take Longer Than Expected
It's easy to forget while watching Shohei Ohtani win yet another MVP award, have the first 50-50 season in Major League Baseball history, and win the World Series in his first ever postseason, that he's also somehow one of the game's best pitchers.
While there were rumors suggesting Ohtani could make his return to the mound at the end of 2024, potentially even in the World Series, the Dodgers avoided using him on the mound in October. Considering that was even a remote possibility, it seemed inevitable that the 30-year-old superstar would be one of the team's starters by Opening Day.
And through the early part of spring training, that looked possible.
Not so much now.
On Thursday, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts told reporters that Ohtani's pitching rehab has essentially been on pause for the last week and a half. Per a report from Jack Harris from the Los Angeles Times, Ohtani hasn't thrown off the mound since February 25, and won't face hitters until the team returns from its Tokyo Series matchup against the Chicago Cubs on March 18 and 19.
"[We’re] just trying to make it a broad time to return. We just don't know. So I think that when he's ready … we'll know," Roberts said. "But I don't want to put any kind of expectation on you guys or Shohei."
GLENDALE, Ariz. - Shohei Ohtani of the Los Angeles Dodgers smiles during workouts at Camelback Ranch on February 11, 2025. (Photo by Chris Coduto/Getty Images)
Shohei Ohtani's Return Significantly Delayed
It's understandable the Dodgers want to ensure that Ohtani's hitting prep is locked in ahead of meaningful regular-season games, which somehow start in just more than 10 days. Especially considering he had offseason surgery to repair a shoulder injury suffered during the World Series.
But in doing so, it makes Ohtani's pitching return even further away than previously realized.
Initially, the Dodgers were hopeful that May could be a realistic option. But if he's not facing hitters until late March, that seems impossible.
Ohtani's return to pitching is significantly more complicated than other starters, since he can't go on a rehab assignment to the minor leagues and miss at bats as a Designated Hitter. And Los Angeles has the depth to withstand a more extended pitching absence to focus on making sure he's available for the playoffs.
Still though, this now seems likely to drag on until mid-May, early-June. Hopefully the delay isn't a sign of another arm injury or a slower recovery than expected from his 2023 surgery. All of the sudden, that 104-game win projection is starting to look a lot more like 102. Scary.