Los Angeles Dodgers’ superstar Shohei Ohtani made his long-awaited return to the mound on June 6 after not having pitched since August of 2023.
The three-time MVP had a shaky outing but showed glimpses of what everyone remembered from his dominance on the mound between 2021 and 2023.
Ohtani completed one inning against the San Diego Padres, but it took him 28 pitches, and he gave up one run on two hits. It wasn’t the best return for Ohtani, having to work through high stress and an elevated pitch count, but he managed to complete the inning.
Six days later, Ohtani made his second start against the Washington Nationals, and it went much smoother. He threw a scoreless inning, striking out two batters and didn’t surrender a hit on 18 pitches.
The movement on Shohei Ohtani's first strikeout 🔥 pic.twitter.com/KspVYVGOY2
— MLB (@MLB) June 22, 2025
Los Angeles have been cautious of Ohtani in his return to the mound and are ramping him up slowly. The goal is for him to be fresh and sharp for the postseason.
The next time Ohtani pitches could be on Saturday against the Kansas City Royals. When asked about it, however, Dave Roberts didn’t give much.
“We’ll see, we’ll see,” Roberts said (h/t ESPN.com). “I’ve got to make sure I keep it open ended.”
Los Angeles Dodgers two‑way player Shohei Ohtani pitches the ball during the second inning against Washington Nationals at Dodger Stadium.
Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images
Saturday would be June 28, which would be six days after Ohtani’s previous start, and would align with regular rest.
Ohtani is in the second year of a 10-year, $700 million contract he signed with the Dodgers in 2024. Although the Dodgers signed the four-time All-Star during his recovery from Tommy John surgery, the expectation is still for Ohtani to eventually return to the dynamic two-way player he was in 2023.
