GLENDALE, ARIZONA – All-Star Shohei Ohtani will take a major step toward his comeback as a pitcher by scheduling his first bullpen session this weekend. The workout marks his return to the mound after a year of inactivity due to elbow surgery.
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The reigning National League MVP has not pitched in a major league game since Aug. 23, 2023, when he was still in a Los Angeles Angels uniform. After undergoing elbow surgery on Sept. 19, Ohtani served exclusively as a designated hitter in his first season with the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2024.
The Japanese pitcher has already been working on flat ground, but he's eager to get a feel for the slope of the mound again. “It's going to be more about feeling the incline,” Ohtani said. “I'm not sure what my intensity is going to be.”
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts confirmed that Ohtani will not pitch in the season-opening series in Tokyo against the Chicago Cubs on March 18-19. However, the manager is confident that his return to pitching action will happen soon.
During Spring Training, Ohtani has been working through his pitching repertoire, incorporating his signature sweeper for the first time in months. The 30-year-old is also still recovering from a partially torn labrum in his left shoulder, an injury suffered during the World Series. Despite that, he has been able to swing with some restrictions on his range of motion.
“There’s some discomfort I have to get over,” Ohtani said. “But I feel pretty good, almost getting to where I want to be.”
The Japanese played 159 of last season's 162 games as a designated hitter, and while his desire is to stay on the field as long as possible, he is open to days off when he returns to being a dual-purpose player.
