Shohei Ohtani has returned to pitching for the Los Angeles Dodgers, although his appearances have been limited to just one inning in each of his first two outings by design. His team is managing his workload carefully as he continues to recover from Tommy John surgery, aiming to balance his pitching rehab with his role as a regular hitter.
Strategic Use of Ohtani’s Talents Amid Recovery
The Dodgers chose not to have Ohtani pitch in simulated games hours before batting during the same event, as that proved too demanding. Instead, Ohtani is participating in actual games for short stints, which keeps his pitching recovery on track while providing the Dodgers with a versatile pitcher without affecting their 13-pitcher roster limit. This approach helps preserve the heavily used pitching staff while maintaining Ohtani’s offensive presence in the lineup.
Balancing Hitting Prowess and Pitching Rehab
Ohtani is currently the National League leader in several offensive categories, including home runs, slugging percentage, OPS, OPS+, total bases, and runs scored. Dodgers general manager Brandon Gomes emphasized the challenge of managing Ohtani’s transition back to longer pitching appearances, stating,
“He very much is one of the best pitchers in the game as well, so we have to continue to build him up so that he will be taking down normal starts at some point,”
and added,
“But being able to do that in a prudent fashion while also contributing to the major league team is the best of both worlds.”
—Brandon Gomes, Dodgers General Manager
Gradual Increase in Workload Planned Through October
The Dodgers aim to have Ohtani ready to take on full starting roles by October, aligning with hopes for other injured pitchers such as Tyler Glasnow, Blake Snell, and possibly Roki Sasaki. His path back to a full workload will be gradual and methodical, reflecting the careful approach taken during his initial recovery phase.
Ohtani’s Own View on Progress
Speaking through interpreter Will Ireton, Ohtani described his rehab plan as a step-by-step process focused on improving pitch quality and increasing pitch counts over time. He said,
“It’s going to be a gradual process, I want to see improvements with the quality of the pitches that I’m throwing, and then also increasing the amount of pitches. So it’s going to be gradual.”
—Shohei Ohtani
Upcoming Starts and Historical Context
Ohtani is scheduled to pitch again on Saturday in Kansas City and is expected to make two more starts before the All-Star break. During his three full two-way seasons with the Angels, his average innings pitched hovered near 143 per year, demonstrating his typical workload before the injury:
- 2021: 130⅓ innings pitched, 3.18 ERA, 156 strikeouts
- 2022: 166 innings pitched, 2.33 ERA, 219 strikeouts
- 2023: 132 innings pitched, 3.14 ERA, 167 strikeouts
Looking Ahead to the 2025 Season
With Ohtani’s return to pitching underway, the focus now turns to how many innings he will be able to log during the 2025 regular season. His steady rehab and return to competitive play offer hope for a full comeback that balances his pitching and hitting contributions for the Dodgers.