Feb 18, 2025; Glendale, AZ, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani (17) works with Los Angeles Dodgers assistant pitching coach Connor McGuiness (87) during a spring training bullpen session at Camelback Ranch. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

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When will Shohei Ohtani start pitching again?

One of the biggest storylines of 2025

Shohei Ohtani’s highly anticipated return to the mound remains one of the biggest storylines heading into the 2025 season. After missing all of 2024 as a pitcher while recovering from a UCL repair procedure in his right elbow, Ohtani is still working his way back to full strength. However, his return to the mound won’t coincide with the Dodgers’ season-opening Tokyo Series against the Cubs, where Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Roki Sasaki are slated to start.

While Ohtani’s pitching timeline remains uncertain, his progress at the plate is right on track. He has already made his spring training debut and also already launched his first home run of the year, showing no signs of slowing down offensively following left shoulder surgery in November.

So, when will Shohei Ohtani pitch again?

Reports suggest that Ohtani is expected to return to the mound sometime in May, though there are lingering questions about how effective he will be. His 2023 UCL repair was his second major elbow surgery, having previously undergone Tommy John surgery as a rookie in 2018. Additionally, his shoulder procedure adds another layer of complexity to his recovery.

With an MVP award as a DH in his first season with the Dodgers and an already elite rotation, it wouldn’t be crazy to think they’ve considered the risk of having him pitch, getting hurt again, and messing with his hitting or time on the field. But the temptation of having an elite hitter and a star pitcher in one player, who’s also getting paid $700M, could outweigh all logic. Then again, the Dodgers have already shown they can win a World Series without Shohei Ohtani the pitcher.

ALSO READ: Watch: Roki Sasaki stuns in eye-popping spring training debut

Balancing elite-level pitching and hitting is already one of the most demanding challenges in professional sports. But if anyone can defy expectations and make a successful return to the mound, it’s Shohei Ohtani.

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.