Shohei Ohtani threw all fastballs during a 20-pitch bullpen session prior to yesterday’s game, marking the first time that the three-time MVP had thrown off a mound since February 25. While Ohtani has continued to throw off flat ground in the interim, the month-plus break between proper pitching sessions added to the question of when exactly Ohtani might resume pitching duties in the big leagues, as a few weeks ago Dodgers manager Dave Roberts seemingly backed off the initial plan to have Ohtani pitching at some point in May.
Speaking with Bill Plunkett of the Orange County Register and other reporters yesterday, Roberts was still non-committal, saying “it’s going to be awhile” before Ohtani makes his pitching debut in a Dodgers uniform.
“I think you start with the natural progression of a bullpen,” Roberts said. “You’ve got to kind of mix in different pitches to then face hitters again. It’s a start. I don’t have a timeline. I don’t think anyone does. We’re a ways away.”
It has now been more than 19 months since Ohtani last pitched in a Major League game, as he sustained a right UCL tear during a 1 1/3-inning start for the Angels on August 23, 2023. The subsequent surgery that September meant that he wouldn’t be pitching during the 2024 campaign, though the normal timeline for UCL surgeries indicated that Ohtani would be ready to go for Opening Day 2025. However, an unexpected roadblock emerged when Ohtani suffered a labrum tear in his non-throwing shoulder while trying to steal a base during the World Series, which led to an arthroscopic procedure on his left shoulder this past November. This injury wasn’t seen as too great an impediment to Ohtani’s return to pitching, and obviously not to his role as the Dodgers’ DH, as Ohtani has been able to hit normally this season.
If Ohtani was only a pitcher, in all likelihood he would be pitching in the majors right now, as he would’ve been able to proceed on a regular rehab timeline. But of course, nothing is normal when it comes to Ohtani and his unique status as a two-way superstar, as he and the Dodgers have balanced both his arm health along with his duties as a hitter. For instance, he limited some throwing sessions last fall since Ohtani was naturally more focused on trying to help Los Angeles win a championship, and then the added wrinkle of his left labrum issue impacted his usual offseason prep.
Roberts said the month-long break from mound sessions was done in part to get Ohtani fully ramped up as a hitter for his team’s earlier start to the 2025 season, as the Dodgers and Cubs played two games in Japan on March 18-19 before the rest of the league kicked off action three days ago. The manager also stressed again that “we still want him to pitch. He wants to pitch. I think he can handle it,” but also noted that the club has no reason or desire to rush Ohtani back to pitching.
“I think the question is how much do we need him right now and I think we’ve answered that,” Roberts said. “His health is paramount, most important. So whenever that time is and his buildup reaches its full maturation, he’ll pitch for us.”
L.A. has so many pitching options that the team is expected to move to a six-man rotation once some hurlers start returning from the injured list. Beyond the starting five of Blake Snell, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Tyler Glasnow, Roki Sasaki, and Dustin May, the Dodgers will have even more than just a single sixth-starter option given how Clayton Kershaw, Tony Gonsolin, Emmet Sheehan, and Ohtani are all expected to be back at various points in the 2025 season. It is wholly unlikely that Los Angeles will have all nine rotation candidates healthy at once, but in the event of a slight pitching surplus, it’s a sign of the team’s depth that having Ohtani pitch is almost a luxury, on top of what he can contribute at the plate.
Take it slow, bro.
You’re right. He doesn’t need to pitch.
He wants to pitch. Therefore, at some point, he will pitch.
@blueskies. He most likely will suck. Since the dodgers probably don’t need him probably be wise to wait til the playoffs. It realistically takes two years plus he messed his shoulder up from sliding last year.
@Rexhudler86 It’s a bit presumptuous to think he would be bad. Ohtani has been throwing bullpens since the end of last season.
@ybc. Maybe but it took him two years last time. presumptuous or just going off prior history. The Ucl injury time line is weird and I’m not sure if he even had it sounded like he had a brace procedure. the dodgers doctor is known for it so it wouldn’t surprise me. The last person to bounce back quickly was Verlander. Just saying it’s more of a 1 1/2 – 2 yrs thing.
So he can suck in the playoffs? Hard to see the logic here. The shoulder injury was to his non throwing arm, and you can tell it hasn’t hurt his hitting.
@blueskies. Subjective because it did last year when he injured his non throwing shoulder. I’m just saying I wouldn’t rush him, and it wouldn’t surprise me if he gets lit up or shut down. He had the same doctor with the angels and it took 2 years. Sorry if you drafted him in fantasy baseball as a pitcher. It’s typically 1 1/2 to recover and it’s definitely a innings restriction so that’s why I said playoffs.
YBC, its realistic to think he would not be very good in 2025. Only 3 starting pitchers have returned from a 2nd UCL procedure to have an ERA under 4.00 as a starting pitcher in their first season back. I believe the total is 56 starting pitchers that have had 2 procedures and returned as a starting pitcher.
When he started throwing bullpens doesn’t factor into how good or bad he will be.
He’ll have control and command issues, as most all (2nd?) TJS pitchers do and as Buehler did last year. It took until the postseason for him to work those out, so if he gets on the mound in game action around mid-season he should be in decent shape for the postseason.
@dodgers32. Yeah would make sense to ease him in probably as a opener. Also my comment was a preemptive strike when people comment saying he’s done. Just a reminder that next year is probably when he’s back.
Do you know the meaning of the word subjective? What you are just saying about not rushing him is exactly what the Dodgers are just saying. Your suggestion he be thrown cold into the postseason after not having pitched competitively all season is objectively silly. Of course they won’t do that. Many were seduced into believing the rumor that he might pitch in last year’s postseason. It was ultra-silly. He will very likely be eased back into pitching around midseason. Where he goes from there will depend on the results.
Sorry, but I do only real baseball.
He messed his left shoulder up and he’s right handed.
@blueskies. Can you read? Never did i say throw him cold into the playoffs. I used words like ease or suggested they use him as a opener, and I agree with
Your points by saying he will probably suck this year and get rocked, because it takes 2 years.
“Since the dodgers probably don’t need him probably be wise to wait til the playoffs.”
Since it’s foolish to think he can pitch in the playoffs without pitching for at least part of the regular season, your argument makes no sense. You’ve also argued that the Dodgers should do what they’ve already said they are doing, so this doesn’t make a lot of sense either.
My reading isn’t the issue; the problem is in what you are saying.
@blueskies. Well it might be your issue, because your the only one that fails to understand.
Ah, so you didn’t mean what you wrote. Got it.
@blueskies. You can’t read. I can’t fix stupid.
I responded to your point by quoting it back verbatim. You could have chosen to explain it better but instead went the insult route.
Such a sad response. 🙁
@blueskies. It’s not a insult if it’s true. You’re arguing but agreeing with what I said. I said you can’t read.
Sadder yet. 🙁
“Slight pitching surplus”
This team..Ugh.
He has to pitch. He strikes out way too much as a hitter to be worth even half of what he’s going to get.
50/50 season and another MVP I doubt anyone is concerned about him striking out at the plate
@pickle. I’m concerned because he didn’t give me any points in my fantasy league today.
Smile. Comments are always worth a chuckle. Oh wait. This is not a compliment.
Take a break. You don’t have to post the single worst take in every thread.
They all strike out a lot today. This ain’t the deadball era no mo.
Yuki, did you miss the fact that he won the MVP last year?
shohei might take roki’s spot in the rotation since sasaki has been total garbage so far. roki needs a minors stint to get his act together ie learn how to throw strikes
Relax how many innings has he thrown so far?
The answer is 4.2. Obviously enough to call him garbage.
More than enough. Surprised chandler did not make this comment, when Roki was in Tokyo.
@dave
wanted to give him a 2nd chance
9 walks in 4 innings
sweet baby jesus
he’ll be sent back to the tokyo league for a bowl of rice at this rate
He’d have thrown more if he were not throwing 30 pitches per inning.
Turn the clock back two months and the complaint about Sasaki was the Dodgers signing him was completely unfair to the rest of baseball.
Funny.
@chandlerbing
“he’ll be sent back to the tokyo league for a bowl of rice at this rate”
Thanks for letting us know what type of person you are, Chandler Bing.
@friends troll. Yamamoto had a couple shaky starts in the beginning, and ohtani was a overrated bust that won r.o.y. luckily he’s not Korean because those players suck too. Do you care when a US player looks like crap his first two starts.
Just let him close. Throw like 75-100inn a year. They have plenty of Starters and he could be a very dominant closer while having a better shot at not needing another surgery on his arm
Sure, and he can do his warmups in the dugout or while he’s at bat.
Nah, they have plenty of other guys equipped to do that.
All that matters is that he’s tuned up and healthy for the post-season. The Dodgers could win 90+ games and make the playoffs with their AAA rotation making all the starts in the regular season.
Speaking of AAA, Bobby Miller had an encouraging start today.
I’m taking bets on when he makes his first start.
“I’m taking bets”..Ippei Mizuhara, is that you?
Freddie Freeman unleashing himself against the Yankees in last year’s World Series is more funnier than these “Ohtani betting” jokes at this point
Was nice to see World Series game 1 MVP Nestor Cortes get a warm welcome back to Yankee Stadium 🙂
I don’t think I’ve ever seen 3 HRs on the 1st 3 pitches in an MLB game (unless you count Sports Talk Baseball for Sega Genesis).
“3 HRs on the first”…It’s a bit embarrassing for the game of baseball, to have Milwaukee put on such a pathetic, non competitive exhibition of pitching as they did this weekend vs the Yankees.
IT WAS THE DREADED TORPEDO BATS
🙂
🙂
🙂
Goldschmidt at the lead-off spot versus Milwaukee wasn’t a move I’d see this early in the season, but he raked against the Brewers.
I prefer Judge dropping the ball just like every year in NY.
What a strange thing to say in the replies of an article about Ohtani
If he never pitched again I wouldn’t be surprised.
You, and who else?
He shouldn’t pitch until after the all star break. No need to rush it. We’re going 162-0 regardless.
Ohtani needs to make some changes or he might get injured again.
The Dodgers don’t really need Ohtani to pitch right now because they’ve got a ton of great pitchers already. But, if he does pitch, they probably use him in a bullpen role in the playoffs.
So not only have pitch in a way he doesn’t get normal preparation, but also keep hos bat out of lineup that game of playoffs as a DH??
Sorry for going off topic but I figured since he was born in LA. An article about the LA baseball team would be the most fitting to say Rest in Paradise to Iceman Val Kilmer