More than 18 months have passed since Shohei Ohtani last pitched in a Major League Baseball game, following his elbow surgery. Now, one insider suggests that a significant return to the mound this season for the Los Angeles Dodgers superstar is unlikely.
Insider Provides Los Angeles Dodgers With Realistic Shohei Ohtani Return Timeline
Alden Gonzalez of ESPN wrote that Ohtani went 32 days without throwing off a mound between late February and late March, a considerable pause in his rehabilitation. While a May return to his two-way role had once seemed plausible before spring training, Gonzalez indicates that this timeline no longer appears realistic.
Despite maintaining some arm activity through flat-ground throwing at moderate intensity during this period, Ohtani is essentially beginning his pitching build-up anew. His bullpen session on March 29th involved roughly 20 pitches, after which Dodgers manager Dave Roberts acknowledged, “We’re a ways away” from his return to pitching in games.
As a result of this cautious and deliberate approach to Ohtani’s recovery, Gonzalez posits that it would be a “shock” if the Japanese phenom were to pitch as many as 100 innings this season.
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To provide context, Ohtani had pitched at least 130.1 innings in each of his final three seasons with the Los Angeles Angels, consistently making at least 23 starts during those years. The current situation suggests a much more limited role, if any, on the pitching side for the Dodgers’ prized acquisition in 2025.
Fortunately for the Dodgers, their offseason acquisitions appear to have mitigated the immediate pressure for Ohtani to return to the mound. The team added two-time former Cy Young Award winner Blake Snell and secured the signing of highly regarded Japanese pitcher Roki Sasaki, bolstering their pitching depth.
Even with the potential for injuries, as experienced in the previous season, the Dodgers demonstrated an ability to navigate the regular season and, crucially, the postseason with pitching that wasn’t always at full strength.
Currently holding a strong 9-2 record, the Dodgers began a three-game road series against the Washington Nationals on Monday, with a comfortable cushion that allows them to prioritize Ohtani’s long-term health and full recovery.