AllSports  

12 w

Shohei Ohtani is making significant strides in his recovery following left shoulder surgery to repair a labrum tear. However, his return to the mound as a pitcher for the 2025 season will be delayed, with expectations that he will not debut until at least May. This cautious approach is aimed at ensuring Ohtani can participate fully in the season and playoffs without the risk of being sidelined mid-season due to innings limitations.

Despite the setback in his pitching schedule, Ohtani will be active in the Dodgers lineup as their designated hitter during the upcoming Tokyo Series. His last pitching performance was in the 2023 season with the Los Angeles Angels, where he achieved a record of 10-5, a 3.14 ERA, and a 1.06 WHIP over 132 innings, earning him his second American League MVP award. Ohtani's most impressive pitching season came in 2022, where he posted a remarkable 2.33 ERA, 1.01 WHIP, and recorded 219 strikeouts across 166 innings.

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts has expressed caution regarding Ohtani's return, emphasizing the importance of not rushing his recovery. He stated, `I just don’t see us starting the clock in March to then think that we would keep that continuously going through October,` highlighting the necessity for a strategic approach to Ohtani's workload.

Ohtani is set to join a formidable Dodgers rotation that includes Blake Snell, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, and Tyler Glasnow. The team is also looking to re-sign Clayton Kershaw and may pursue Roki Sasaki. General manager Brandon Gomes has noted that Ohtani is progressing well in his recovery, checking all necessary boxes as he approaches the two-month mark post-surgery.

#ShoheiOhtani,#Dodgers,#MLB,#BaseballRecovery,#TokyoSeries