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The Los Angeles Dodgers went from 2024 World Series winners to offseason behemoths thanks to an unprecedented spending spree. The Dodgers’ pitching staff looks unstoppable after the team added Blake Snell and Roki Sasaki to the rotation and brought in Tanner Scott and Kirby Yates to fill out the bullpen.
Of course, the Dodgers’ starting rotation in 2025 will also include Shohei Ohtani. And while he’s not likely to pitch in the season opener when the team travels to Japan, manager Dave Roberts clued fans in on a timeframe for when Ohtani will take the mound.
Roberts declared that the four-time All-Star should return to pitching in May, saying that timing “sounds about right,” according to Dodgers reporter Fabvian Ardaya on X.
Dodgers’ star Shohei Ohtani should be back on the mound soon
Ohtani was unable to pitch in 2024 while he recovered from Tommy John surgery. Instead, he put together one of the all-time great offensive seasons, creating the 50/50 club as he became the first player to ever hit 50 home runs and steal 50 bases in a single season. He was rewarded for his efforts with the NL MVP award, the third MVP he’s won in his seven-year MLB career.
Ohtani’s return to the mound was further delayed when he required surgery after suffering a shoulder injury in the World Series. He has yet to throw a pitch as a member of the Dodgers, after signing with the team as a free agent prior to the 2024 season on a 10-year, $700 million contract.
Ohtani also was unable to pitch in 2019 after undergoing Tommy John surgery. It’s clear the Dodgers intend to bring him along slowly. And with the new additions to the rotation, they won’t need to rush their superstar. But fans are obviously clamoring to see Ohtani back on the mound for the first time since the 2023 season when he was still a member of the Los Angeles Angels. Now, according to Roberts, the wait is nearly over.
