"It's a work of art"; "Save his pitching arm for 2025" - MLB fans excited as video emerges of Shohei Ohtani's pitching practice

Two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani has been leading the hitting charts in the 2024 season. Although the Japanese ace can't showcase his pitching prowess this season, he consistently ranks among the top five in various hitting stats.

As a designated hitter for the Los Angeles Dodgers, Ohtani has recorded 63 runs, 24 home runs and 60 RBIs with a batting average of .320 and a 1.033 OPS. He can’t pitch due to recovery from elbow surgery last season, but has made progress to return to the mound.

Shohei Ohtani has been undergoing throwing sessions, a clip of which was shared by MLB on X/Twitter recently. Several fans shared their reactions to the video featuring the superstar throwing some pitches again:

"I cannot wait for him to be back on the mound. It's a work of art," a fan said.

"Save his pitching arm for 2025 believe me," another fan said.

“This guy will be the GOAT when all is said and done, no doubt!” another comment read.

Other excited fan reactions continued, with a couple of them downplaying the excitement surrounding Ohtani's hype:

“Okayyyy???? So the hell what?…. You guys are all drooling over this dude every second. I respect the greatness but I guarantee you in every way his reign will be short lived. Not a hot take. Just facts I got the universe on my side,” one comment read.

“He's not pitching again - I guarantee it,” another comment read.

“I love Ohtani as a hitter, but I miss him even more as a pitcher. He is too cool,” one fan wrote.

Ohtani hasn’t pitched in the major leagues since August 2023, and the Dodgers are taking a cautious approach, focusing on his long-term recovery. Notably, his surgery hasn’t affected his performance at the plate.

If his recovery continues to progress well, he could potentially return to the mound by the 2025 season.

Shohei Ohtani adjusting well halfway through first season with Dodgers

Shohei Ohtani seems to have settled in well with the Los Angeles Dodgers in his debut season. The Dodgers currently lead the NL West with a 51-31 record, and Ohtani's performance has been key to their success.

In a recent interview talking about his team, Ohtani said (via ESPN):

“I decided to sign with this team and wanted to do the best that I can to fit in. So I think overall, looking back, it's been a really good first half.

"The reality is the workload has been a lot less. So I can't deny that. But at the same time, as a hitter, I've been getting better and overall I think I've been growing as a hitter, too," he added.

In December 2023, Ohtani inked a 10-year, $700 million contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers.