WATCH: Shohei Ohtani brings the energy as he arrives for Spring Training with Dodgers in pure joy

Shohei Ohtani has officially arrived for LA Dodgers Spring Training. The reigning NL MVP is one of the first players to arrive. Pitchers and catchers report on Tuesday for some teams, including LA.

Ohtani is once again considered a pitcher despite not pitching since 2023. He should be back on the mound this year even if it's not on opening day.

The former LA Angels star arrived for his second Spring Training with the Dodgers with a gleeful look on his face. He brought the energy with an infectious smile and greeted someone nearby as he walked to his first day of work in 2025.

Ohtani will use the spring session to continue working his way back to the mound. He didn't pitch at all last year after Tommy John surgery in last year's offseason, so he had to be a DH only.

The Dodgers briefly considered letting him pitch near the end of last season and in the playoffs but opted to prioritize a long recovery and his future. The team has been cautious until now, but he's closer to returning as a pitcher.

He will join a rotation with several other players who also report back on Tuesday, including Tyler Glasnow, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Blake Snell, Roki Sasaki, Tony Gonsolin and Dustin May.

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When will Shohei Ohtani pitch again?

Shohei Ohtani is on track with his recovery. He threw off the mound at Dodger Fest, a good sign that he's getting healthier and working up to the ability to pitch in a big-league game again.

Shohei Ohtani should be ready to pitch soon (Imagn)

The DH believes he will be ready for opening day as a hitter. He also suffered a shoulder injury in the World Series that required surgery, but he will likely not miss any time after recovering from it.

The two-way star is targeting a May return to the mound, so it will be a couple of months before he's a true two-way player again. Last year, he won MVP as a primary DH — the first time in MLB history.