Shohei Ohtani hasn’t thrown an enormous league pitch since August 23, 2023, because the celebrity underwent a UCL surgical procedure that saved him off the mound for everything of the 2024 season. Ohtani is predicted to return to pitching in the course of the 2025 marketing campaign, although Dodgers supervisor Dave Roberts it’s “not possible” Ohtani pitches in the course of the group’s season-opening sequence in Tokyo in opposition to the Cubs on March 18-19.
“I simply don’t see us beginning the clock in March to then assume that we’d maintain that repeatedly going by October. Then, that might name for a break or reprieve in the midst of the season, so I don’t know,” Roberts advised USA Today’s Bob Nightengale and different reporters.
Ohtani’s restoration course of hit a minor velocity bump when he suffered a labrum tear in his left (non-throwing) shoulder whereas making an attempt to steal second base in Game 2 of the World Series. He underwent arthroscopic surgical procedure to deal with the issue shortly after the Fall Classic was over, and he’s anticipated to be prepared for the beginning of Spring Training, not less than as a hitter.
“I don’t assume the left shoulder goes to have a lot of an impression on Shohei’s pitching,” Roberts mentioned, noting that Ohtani’s elbow is of course “the most important issue.” The supervisor didn’t have a set concept but about “when he begins pitching in Major League video games,” apart from to say that the Dodgers wouldn’t be pushing the two-way star again to the mound till he’s prepared.
For the second straight yr, Los Angeles is opening the season somewhat sooner than the remainder of the league by enjoying in a global sequence. The Dodgers confronted the Padres in a two-game sequence in Seoul final March, and now they’ll head to Tokyo for what is predicted to be a good greater occasion, given Ohtani’s return to his residence nation. This little bit of schedule irregularity provides one other wrinkle to the Dodgers’ plans, each for Ohtani particularly and for the roster on the whole, given how the group has to ramp up for regular-season video games in between two lengthy worldwide flights after which return to Cactus League play earlier than the total season slate begins on March 27.
It needs to be famous that Roberts downplayed the concept of Ohtani pitching in these two video games in Japan, however not the opportunity of pitching throughout that March 27-29 sequence in opposition to the Tigers. The Dodgers’ plan of utilizing a six-man rotation provides extra flexibility, for the reason that group is attempting to create further relaxation for not simply Ohtani, however a number of pitchers with a checkered well being historical past. While L.A. was capable of overcome a mountain of pitching accidents to win the World Series, clearly the group wish to keep away from strolling that very same tightrope in 2025, and would like to have a correct rotation wholesome and prepared for an additional deep postseason run.
Like at all times, Ohtani will probably be an enchanting determine to look at, as his Dodgers debut as a pitcher is now the follow-up to his magical first season with the group. Ohtani’s time with the Angels is evident proof that he can produce at a excessive degree as each a pitcher and hitter concurrently, however doing so after a significant UCL-related harm does add one other diploma of problem to Ohtani’s already-unique skillset.
