Shohei Ohtani, star of the Los Angeles Dodgers, continues his return as a pitcher after undergoing ulnar collateral ligament revision surgery in September 2023, which is known in baseball as Tommy John surgery
Fans experienced one of the most anticipated moments in baseball when Ohtani returned to the mound in 2025 after almost two years without pitching, which has opened up speculation about the role Ohtani will play in the Los Angeles pitching rotation.
Will Ohtani be in the Dodgers’ rotation?
Brandon Gomes, general manager of the Dodgers, came out to make statements to put the speculation behind him and was very clear, stating that Ohtani will continue to be part of Los Angeles’ pitching staff as a starter.
Gomes made it clear that there is no intention to move Ohtani to the Dodgers bullpen, because the organization trusts him as a key piece within the starting battery of pitchers due to his great talent.
How did Ohtani fare in his return as a pitcher?
In his first start against the Dodgers on June 16, Shohei Ohtani pitched one inning, allowed one run, two hits, no strikeouts and no walks, but reached speeds of up to 100.2 miles per hour or 161.6 km per hour.
Although the performance was not perfect, Ohtani stressed that he feels physically well and reaffirmed his plan: to pitch once a week, gradually increasing his innings load per game
Ohtani’s return was accelerated by the Dodgers’ urgency to be able to count on him in the face of a wave of injuries and with a roster of injured players that exceeds $100 million.
On Sunday, June 22, Ohtani made his second start with the Dodgers, this time against the Nationals. This outing was brief, but effective: one inning without allowing a run, with 12 strikes and recorded his first two strikeouts of the season
What does Dave Roberts think about Ohtani’s return?
Dave Roberts insisted that Ohtani’s return will be handled “outing by outing,” with no fixed innings goal, taking it slowly and warned that it is difficult to determine when he will be ready to participate in a full game.
For his part, general manager Brandon Gomes ruled out any plans to move him to the bullpen, stating that his intention is to keep him as a starter, evaluating how he feels as he gets involved in the games.
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