LOS ANGELES – The moment Dodgers and baseball fans have been waiting for since December has finally arrived:
Shohei Ohtani will make his pitching debut with Los Angeles tonight, when the team hosts the San Diego Padres at Dodger Stadium.
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Ohtani, who signed a historic contract with the Dodgers during the offseason, will take the mound for the first time since August 23, 2023, when he still belonged to the Angels. His return marks a milestone not only for the Los Angeles organization, but for the entire sport.
“Live sessions, simulated or whatever you want to call them, have run their course,” commented manager Dave Roberts after Sunday’s victory over the Giants. “He’s ready to make his debut from the mound.”
Although he is not expected to pitch many innings — he could be limited to one inning as an opener —, his presence represents a morale boost for a team that has dealt with an unstable rotation in recent weeks.
Ohtani’s rehabilitation has been meticulous since he underwent surgery to repair the ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow last September, his second operation on that arm. Added to this was an intervention on his left shoulder during the offseason, which is why the Dodgers have handled his return as a pitcher with extreme caution.
On May 25th, he faced batters for the first time in a live session at Citi Field. Less than a month later, he has shown in his training sessions that he is ready to compete again on both sides of the game.
Single player
Ohtani, 29 years old, is already a historical figure in baseball. In his first season with the Dodgers, he was named National League Most Valuable Player for the third time unanimously, in a season in which he created the exclusive “50-50 Club” with 50 home runs and 50 stolen bases.
As a pitcher in MLB, he has a 38-19 record with a 3.01 ERA and a 142 ERA+ in 86 starts.
His ability to impact the game from the mound and the plate has led the Dodgers to plan a six-starter rotation without needing to sacrifice depth in the bullpen, thanks to his two-way player status, which does not occupy one of the 13 traditional pitcher slots.
“The expectation for this game is huge,” Roberts said. “Our guys are excited. And I’m excited for Shohei.”
