Cody Snavely
LOS ANGELES— Entering the 2025 Major League Baseball season, the Los Angeles Dodgers hoped to take full advantage of the Shohei Ohtani two-way experience. Still, after weeks of delay with his throwing program, they’ll have to wait a bit longer.
It has been over eighteen months since Ohtani threw a pitch at the Major League level, dating back to mid-August of the 2023 regular season when the superstar was in the final season in Anaheim with the Angels.
Despite undergoing a second career Tommy John surgery, the Dodgers still gave Ohtani the largest sports contract in North American sports, a 10-year, $700 million deal with $680 million deferred after Ohtani’s playing days.
Ohtani didn’t throw a single pitch during the 2024 season for the Los Angeles Dodgers but still won the National League Most Valuable Player Award unanimously and helped the Dodgers win their eighth World Series title in franchise history while becoming the lone player to create the 50/50 club.
Despite throwing some bullpens as seasons end, Ohtani never got to the stage to face live hitters, opting to go a whole offseason preparing as a pitcher and hitter, finishing his rehab. However, it would be another off-season shoulder surgery that would complicate things.
Upon joining the Dodgers at spring training this February, Ohtani continued his throwing program, which included throwing off the mound. However, despite Dodgers manager Dave Roberts‘ aspirations of a mid-May return, the Dodgers would hold off on Ohtani’s progression as a pitcher to prepare him as a hitter for the early season start date in Tokyo, Japan.
Fast-forward to today, and the Dodgers are slowly playing their buildup for Ohtani as a pitcher, where he’ll throw a series of “light” bullpens on Thursdays before a heavier one on Saturdays.
So far, we’re at the three-week point of this schedule, but the Dodgers and Ohtani are not expected to face hitters anytime soon as the club wants him to incorporate all his pitches before that, and Ohtani’s has only thrown splitters and fastballs.
The Dodgers’ over-caution in Ohtani has made some in baseball question whether he’ll ever pitch again and whether it’s even worth it for the Dodgers.
However, according to his source, Major League Baseball insider Bob Nightengale stated that if the Dodgers needed it, Ohtani could step on a mound and contribute right now.
If the Los Angeles Dodgers actually needed him, Shohei Ohtani could step on the mound right now and contribute, according to a person close to Ohtani, but his return is looking like it may come closer to the All-Star break.
For anyone following the Dodgers closely, it comes as no surprise that they are holding their Ohtani bullet for October and hoping to build him up post-all-star break and make him a major player in the Dodgers’ starting rotation for the postseason.
While the Dodgers’ starting rotation has some bumps in the artillery, with lefty Blake Snell on the 15-day Injured List due to shoulder inflammation, the team is in no hurry to rush Ohtani’s rehab and buildup.
Veteran lefty Clayton Kershaw is starting his rehab assignment from offseason toe and knee surgery this Wednesday, aiming for a late May return. Righty Tony Gonsolin has begun his rehab assignment with Triple-A OKC and should rejoin the Dodgers in the coming weeks.
Until then, don’t expect to see Ohtani on the mound at Dodger Stadium until after the all-star break in July.
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