Shohei Ohtani has always been a marvel—a player who pushes the limits of what’s possible. Now, as he prepares to return to the mound for the first time since August 2023, the excitement is undeniable—but so are the questions.

How will the Los Angeles Dodgers handle his pitching comeback? And more importantly, how will they safeguard their most prized asset while keeping his two-way brilliance alive?

In a recent conversation on Foul Territory, host Scott Braun raised this issue.“The thing about his return that stands out to me is not the velocity, it’s just that he is on the mound and there is no past roadmap.” Scott noted that there is no clear guidebook for managing a player like Shohei Ohtani. After all, this isn’t just any pitcher; they are talking about a generational talent who hits and pitches at an elite level. “How do you think they’re going to play this out? Do you think they are going to say, ‘Shohei, how do you feel’?” Braun mused. He even pointed out how the Los Angeles Angels had a careful approach in Ohtani’s earlier seasons, but now it’s a bigger decision.

Just when you thought the @Dodgers couldn't get any better, Shohei Ohtani is throwing off the mound again… pic.twitter.com/djt24lmHfE

— Foul Territory (@FoulTerritoryTV) February 17, 2025

AJ Pierzynski, another host, thinks the Dodgers would be far more cautious. “No, I think they are going to be careful and won’t give him control at all,” he said. The team will try to avoid Shohei dictating his workload. Instead, they will handle him with a slower and more careful approach. “I think they are going to say, ‘Listen, we are going to take this as slow as possible. You won the MVP as a designated hitter last year. Go do that again.’” His return will be measured in small steps. Pierzynski speculates that the Dodgers will start with just one inning at a time, carefully monitoring how Shohei’s arm responds. “They are going to have Sasaki, Glasnow, Smell, Yamamoto, May” Pierzynski added, outlining the deep pitching staff that will help reduce the load.

However, the bigger hurdle, as AJ pointed out, is Shohei’s two-way role. “You can’t send him down for a rehab assignment because he has to hit too,” he said. The Dodgers won’t have the luxury of taking him out of the lineup to focus solely on his arm. The alternative solution could be that Shohei will need to pitch a few innings here and there while being ready to hit. This creates a less-risky juggling act for the Dodgers as well as Shohei.

As the new season approaches, Shohei’s return to the mound is more than just a comeback. It’s a balance of calculated risk and management. The Dodgers have a star who could change the game, but only if they can handle the pressure of managing his return smartly. It’s a journey that is going to be as thrilling as Shohei’s 100-mph pitch. However, in the end, the question remains: will the Dodgers take the right steps to protect their ace?

The Dodgers pitching rotation: a new era of dominance

The Los Angeles Dodgers are no stranger to building elite teams, but as the 2025 season approaches, their pitching rotation is something different altogether. To sum up their pitching staff in one word, it would be ‘dominance’.

After their World Series victory in 2024, the Dodgers didn’t just rest on their laurels—they went to work building a pitching staff to rule the league. The Dodgers’ pitching staff for 2025 is a masterclass in depth and talent that includes a blend of young, promising talent and proven veteran stars. Boasting a pitching rotation with players like Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Tyler Glasnow, Blake Snell, Roki Sasaki, and potentially Shohei Ohtani.