Shohei Ohtani gives major update on his injury rehab

The Los Angeles Dodgers have yet to see two-way star Shohei Ohtani deliver on the mound. While they enjoyed his historic 2024 season, where he became the first player in MLB history to register over 50 stolen bases and 50 home runs in a single season, they have yet to witness his pitching marvels, which he displayed during the World Baseball Classic and his tenure with the LA Angels.

Ohtani, who missed the entire 2024 season on the pitching front, is set to return on the mound in 2025. He underwent an elbow surgery in Sept. 2023 that has kept him off the mound. The typical recovery time for that surgery is 14-18 months. So, he should be close to making a return.

On Saturday, Feb. 1, during a Dodgers event, Ohtani shared a major update on his pitching.

"I felt pretty good about the offseason," Ohtani said via a translator. "I've been throwing. I actually started swinging the bat with pretty, you know, good intensity. Like, actually just before coming to the stage I was working out and I was able to work out actually five, six times a week."

Dodgers will be cautious to bring Shohei Ohtani back to the pitching fold

Following another offseason where the Los Angeles Dodgers haven't shied away from spending, they have the luxury to move cautiously regarding Shohei Ohtani's return to the mound.

That's because the Dodgers are flushed with starting pitchers. The addition of Blake Snell and Roki Sasaki this offseason has bolstered the rotation, which already includes Tyler Glasnow, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, and potentially Clayton Kershaw (who may re-sign soon).

Moreover, they have some returning arms in Tony Gonsolin and Dustin May, alongside Landon Knack, Bobby Miller, and Justin Wrobleski who should all be ready to go when asked.

During the same event, Ohtani said:

"Hard to pinpoint when. Generally looking at a couple of weeks to a month of leeway. It will depend on how my first bullpen session will go."

Thus in all likelihood, the Dodgers would in no way risk Ohtani the hitter by rushing him to the mound. They'd rather give him all the time he needs to fully recover and then thrive on his pitching performances too.