Two-way player Shohei Ohtani will be the starting pitcher for the Los Angeles Dodgers in the first game of a four-game series against the visiting San Diego Padres.
The Dodgers chose to give Ohtani the go-ahead against the rival Padres on Monday, despite Dodgers manager Dave Roberts initially telling reporters on Sunday that he would pitch a simulated game in the next few days.
Fans May Not See Much of Shotime on the Mound as Much as They’d Like To
In a recent episode of The Pat McAfee Show, ESPN MLB insider Jeff Passan was asked about the realistic expectations fans can look forward to ahead of Shotime’s pitching debut.
Passan said, “Normally when a player is coming off a major reconstructive elbow surgery, he’s down in minor leagues and he’ll have 5-6 rehab outings where he can build up his pitch count. Tonight you’re not going to see Shohei Ohtani for very long. He hasn’t been built up now.”
“Shohei Ohtani went to the Dodgers and said I’m ready to pitch..
My expectation is that we’re gonna see some great stuff for an inning or two and I’m excited” @JeffPassan #PMSLive https://t.co/fO2xzaBv9G pic.twitter.com/THwYxA6arh
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) June 16, 2025
Ohtani will be making his debut appearance with the Dodgers and his first big league pitching outing since August 23, 2023. Three months prior to agreeing to a 10-year, $700 million contract with the Dodgers, the two-way athlete underwent Tommy John surgery on his elbow in September 2023.
Ohtani has been preparing for a June comeback to the mound. The right-hander faced minor leaguers from the Dodgers’ Arizona spring camp on Tuesday, throwing 44 pitches in three simulated innings.
Ohtani’s return could not come at a better moment for Los Angeles. The injured list includes starters Tyler Glasnow (right shoulder), Blake Snell (left shoulder), and Roki Sasaki (right shoulder).
Sasaki’s throwing routine was recently put on hold after he experienced soreness this week. His return this season is not scheduled. The Dodgers have the most pitchers on the injured list in Major League Baseball, with a total of 14.
During his major league career, Ohtani has made 86 appearances for the Los Angeles Angels and is 38-19 with a 3.01 ERA. He has had 173 walks and 608 strikeouts in 481 2/3 innings.
Ohtani, a three-time MVP, leads the National League with 25 home runs and a 1.035 OPS this season while hitting 0.297 with 41 RBIs in 70 games. Ohtani is eligible to be used as an additional pitcher on the roster due to his two-way classification, which allows the Dodgers to deploy a piggyback starter behind him.
Ohtani was supposed to resume his throwing development fairly early in the following winter, but during Game 2 of the World Series, he tore a labrum in his non-throwing left shoulder, requiring surgery and forcing him to begin spring training, which effectively served as his offseason throwing program.
Before the Dodgers’ season-opening series from Japan in mid-March, Ohtani halted his development once more. When the Dodgers returned to the United States, he started the process of gradually regaining his form.
Before a game on May 25 at Citi Field in New York, Ohtani threw 22 pitches in his first encounter with batters. On May 31, he repeated the feat at Dodger Stadium, producing a slightly higher total of 29 pitches. He added 15 additional pitches ten days later and basically declared himself ready.