How soon could we see Ohtani’s pitching debut with the Dodgers? This is what he had to say

In his first season as an LA Dodger, Shohei Ohtani clinched a record third unanimous Most Valuable Player award and won his first World Series championship. It was a stellar year for Ohtani, although you could argue that he was operating at half his full potential.

With both Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters and the LA Angels, Ohtani starred as a rare top level two-way player. His pitching and hitting made him the most sought-after talent in the world and he established himself as a generational talent. However soon after joining the Dodgers it was announced that he would not pitch in 2024 and now, gearing up for the 2025 season, he has admitted that he may be running out of time to return to the pitcher’s mound.

“For me, this feels like my last chance as a pitcher,” he told reporters. “I’m mentally preparing for it to be my last opportunity, and with that in mind, I must be cautious. During the rehabilitation process, I’ll be as careful as possible, but when it comes to the actual game, I don’t think I’ll be thinking in terms of ‘slow and steady.’ I intend to maintain a sense of balance and keep things sharp.”

He did not pitch for much of March as he continues to manage his return from injury but could soon be pitching in the MLB once again.

When will Ohtani pitch for the Dodgers?

The last time Shohei Ohtani threw a pitch in MLB was in August 2023, before an offseason surgery to repair a torn ulnar collateral ligament (UCL). Another round of surgery followed the 2024 World Series triumph but now, on the eve of the 2025 MLB season, Ohtani looks ready to pitch once more.

Dodger manager Dave Roberts revealed on Monday that Ohtani will be back in the bullpen “in the coming days” and hinted that he could be pitching before too long.

Last month Roberts pointed to May for a potential return for the mound but he has maintained that the team will take every precaution when easing Ohtani back into the pitching rotation.

“It might be earlier,” Roberts told MLB.com, “But I think that the first thing I said earlier this offseason was it wasn’t going to be in the Japan Series. … Once he gets to spring training and we see where the throwing program is, I think we’ll just go from there.”

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