The Los Angeles Dodgers are still waiting to see when Shohei Ohtani will finally take the mound for the first time in Dodger blue. After signing a 10-year, $700 million contract before the 2024 season, the two-way superstar was expected to be a force both at the plate and on the mound.
While Ohtani didn’t pitch in 2024 as he recovered from elbow surgery, he still delivered as a hitter, winning National League MVP and helping lead the Dodgers to a World Series title.
All signs point to Ohtani pitching in 2025, but the exact timing remains up in the air. He has thrown in live batting practice sessions, and manager Dave Roberts has provided occasional updates, though no official timeline has been announced.
Shohei Ohtani Dishes On Dodgers’ Pitching Return Timeline
Now, Ohtani himself has addressed the situation, according to Matthew Moreno of DodgerBlue.
“I think it all has to do with pitch counts. With the last live BP, I felt like the intensity was there and I felt like my stuff was game-ready,” Ohtani said.
Shohei Ohtani’s answer when asked how close he feels to being ready to pitch in games (Will Ireton interpreted):
“I think it all has to do with pitch counts. With the last live BP, I felt like the intensity was there and I felt like my stuff was game-ready.”
— Matthew Moreno (@Matthew__Moreno) June 15, 2025
Before the season, the biggest question was whether Ohtani would pitch. However, the $700 million superstar revealed that he feels his stuff is “game-ready,” which is a positive development.
Still, the Dodgers are playing the long game. Despite multiple injuries to their pitching staff, Roberts made it clear at the end of May that they won’t rush Ohtani’s return.
“So I do think that we are being very methodical about it. I can safely say he’s probably not going to pitch for us until after the break, but I don’t think that the injuries that we’ve had are going to speed up his process,” Roberts explained.
Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman also stressed the importance of Ohtani being fully ready.
“Viewing it on a shorter-term horizon, it’s easy to want to be aggressive and push,” Friedman said. “I think both from him and from us. But we set out to view this as putting him in the best position to pitch over the next nine years and prioritizing longevity, and this first year back, it’s really important for that long-term aspect to not be too aggressive right now.”
Fans got a glimpse of progress on June 10 when video surfaced of Ohtani throwing to live hitters before a game against the San Diego Padres.
Shohei Ohtani pitching off the mound to hitters in San Diego 👀
(via @DodgerBlue1958)pic.twitter.com/U0kvHefSbZ
— Sports Illustrated (@SInow) June 10, 2025
Following that, a report came out that Ohtani could return to pitching sometime in July, which would boost a Dodgers team desperately needing some pitching help.