Mar 4, 2025; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani against the Cincinnati Reds during a spring training game at Camelback Ranch-Glendale. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

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Shohei Ohtani pitching update: Dodgers halt rehab, return timeline pushed back

Shohei Ohtani's two-way display will be on hold a little longer...

Shohei Ohtani’s highly anticipated return to the mound for the Los Angeles Dodgers has hit yet another delay. Initially expected to pitch again by Opening Day 2025, his timeline was later pushed to May. Now, even that target seems uncertain.

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts revealed on Thursday that Ohtani has not thrown off a mound since February 25 and will not face live hitters until after the team returns from the Japan Series on March 18-19. This decision suggests a shift in the Dodgers’ approach to Ohtani’s rehab, prioritizing caution over an aggressive return schedule.

Is Shohei Ohtani hurt?

“We just felt that to intensify the bullpens alongside of the intensity of the games (as a designated hitter) wasn’t smart,” Roberts said, per the Orange County Register. “So, we just wanted to kind of slow-play it.”

This update puts Ohtani’s expected May return to the mound in question. Roberts emphasized that the team is avoiding setting firm expectations regarding his pitching return, instead taking a broader approach to his rehab timeline.

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Ohtani has not pitched in a game since undergoing Tommy John surgery in September 2023, during his final season with the Los Angeles Angels. His rehab took an additional hit when he tore the labrum in his left (non-throwing) shoulder during Game 2 of the 2024 World Series, requiring another surgery and further complicating his offseason recovery.

Despite the delays, the Dodgers are in no immediate rush to get him back on the mound, given their deep and star-studded rotation. The team already boasts one of the most talented starting staffs in baseball, featuring Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Blake Snell, Tyler Glasnow, Roki Sasaki, Tony Gonsolin, and Clayton Kershaw. With five Cy Young awards collectively among them, this rotation has the firepower to carry the team even without Ohtani’s contributions from the mound.

Ohtani’s value remains immense even as a full-time designated hitter. He is coming off a historic season, winning his third MVP award after becoming the first player in MLB history to record a 50-home run, 50-stolen base season. His marketability, combined with his elite offensive production, continues to make his $700 million contract a bargain, particularly given the deferred money structure that keeps the Dodgers’ payroll flexible.

While Dodgers fans may be eager to see Ohtani dominate on both sides of the ball again, the team appears content to wait until he is fully ready.

Shohei Ohtani MOWING DOWN Major Leaguers…

When he was 20 Years Old. pic.twitter.com/GEVqpd0ADY
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) February 1, 2025

With no official return date, the hope remains that when he does step back onto the mound, he will be at full strength and capable of reclaiming his status as one of baseball’s most dominant two-way stars.

Dodgers

Shohei Ohtani

Mohsin Baldiwala

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Mohsin Baldiwala is a Master’s student in Journalism and freelance content producer who got hooked on baseball through Seinfeld’s hapless George Costanza. The same reason why he’s a Yankees fan. He writes about sports because he believes it can offer a brief escape from the world’s chaos. Even if that means enduring the heartbreak of the 2024 World Series.