Shohei Ohtani is still working his way back into pitching for the Los Angeles Dodgers after undergoing several surgeries over the past few years. After having one of the best seasons in the MLB last season and leading him to winning MVP, there finally seems to be a rehab plan for the star player.
“It's going to be unique and we're going to have to do it on the fly,” Dodgers pitching coach Mark Prior said via ESPN's Alden Gonzalez. “We saw what he did last year trying to rehab and hit. That seemed to turn out pretty well, at least on the offensive side of the ball. It's probably going to be some version of that.
“Great thing is, Shohei's really dedicated to his craft, really dedicated and really meticulous about what he does. He communicates very well on what he needs those days to get ready. So we're just going to have to be nimble and we're going to have to adjust.”
Article Continues BelowOhtani underwent a second repair of his ulnar collateral ligament in September 2023, then had surgery to repair a torn labrum on his left, non-throwing shoulder in November 2024. Ohtani still has ways to go from pitching, but he is expected to be ready as a hitter by the season opener.
“Once he steps between the line of a real game, we can't control the situation,” Prior said. “That'll be ultimately the principle that guides this whole thing is making sure that he's 100 percent ready to go out there and let the game dictate what happens, and he's in a position to handle that physically, mentally and emotionally.”
Ohtani had the first 50/50 season in baseball history last year, and he showed that he's one of the best players in the game. Once he returns to full strength, it wouldn't be a surprise to see him break more records.