For the primary time in practically two years, Shohei Ohtani is again the place he belongs—on a significant league mound.
The Los Angeles Dodgers introduced Sunday night time that their two-way celebrity and reigning Nationwide League MVP will begin Monday night time’s collection opener in opposition to the San Diego Padres at Dodger Stadium.
Shohei Ohtani would be the beginning pitcher for the Los Angeles Dodgers tomorrow night time in opposition to the San Diego Padres.
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) June 16, 2025
It will likely be the primary time Ohtani has pitched in a giant league recreation since August 23, 2023, when he exited early in opposition to the Reds whereas nonetheless sporting the pink and white of the Angels.
Twenty-two months and one elbow surgical procedure later, Ohtani is lastly able to toe the rubber once more—this time in Dodger blue.
“Shohei is getting antsy, which is a good thing for us,” mentioned Dodgers’ supervisor Dave Roberts after Sunday’s 5-4 win over the San Francisco Giants. “He’s ready. It’s time to go.”
The plan is for Ohtani to function an opener, doubtless throwing one or two innings earlier than giving solution to right-hander Ben Casparius, who will deal with the majority of the workload. The technique is as cautious as it’s electrical. For the Dodgers, it’s much less about stretching Ohtani out and extra about lastly letting the world witness one thing we’ve all been ready for.
“He’s going to open for us,” mentioned Roberts of the plan for Ohtani. “The live simulated games have run its course and he’s ready to make his debut on the mound. “It’s nice for the sport. I’m excited for Shohei”
Ohtani informed reporters via a translator after his two-homer efficiency on Saturday night time that he was able to get again on the mound in a giant league recreation.
Shohei Ohtani on his two-homer night time tonight for the Dodgers, his latest residence run drought previous to that, how his pitching goes and if he’s near returning to the mound, and if he actually will make a begin earlier than the All Star break. pic.twitter.com/zCb75T0Y1d
— Michael J. Duarte (@michaeljduarte) June 15, 2025
A pitcher. A slugger. A $700 million miracle.
It’s not usually a Monday night time in June turns into appointment tv—however when the unicorn returns to the hill, the game pays consideration.
Ohtani, 29, underwent surgical procedure on his proper elbow on September 19, 2023, after tearing his UCL for the second time in his profession. He had beforehand undergone Tommy John surgical procedure in 2018. Since signing a historic 10-year cope with the Dodgers final December, the Japanese sensation has centered solely on hitting—till now.
His ramp-up started quietly behind the scenes. He paused pitching actions after a mound session in February to give attention to Opening Day as a hitter, then resumed bullpens on March 29. Simply final Tuesday, in San Diego, he confronted reside hitters for the primary time, throwing 44 pitches over three simulated innings.
It wasn’t lengthy earlier than he let the group know he was prepared for extra.
“He said doing the three innings live is taxing on his body,” said Roberts about why the team changed course from their original plan of letting Ohtani ramp up to five or more innings in simulated games with his debut expected to come sometime after the All-Star break. “He’s ready to pitch in a major league game, and he let us know that.”
Whereas Ohtani hasn’t pitched a single inning this season, he’s nonetheless been the Dodgers’ Most worthy participant—and arguably the face of baseball.
By means of June 15, he leads the Nationwide League with a 1.035 OPS, whereas batting .297 with 25 residence runs, 41 RBIs, and 16 stolen bases. He’s made the extraordinary look routine. Moonshot homers. Blistering line drives. Sport-winning sprints across the bases. Each time he steps into the batter’s field, there’s a hum within the air.
And now, that hum is heading to the mound.
The timing of Ohtani’s return couldn’t be extra essential.
The Dodgers are scraping collectively bullpen video games simply to outlive a brutal wave of accidents. Roki Sasaki, the heralded 23-year-old rookie from Japan, hasn’t pitched since Might 9 on account of a proper shoulder impingement and is probably going out long-term. Former Cy Younger winner Blake Snell is battling shoulder irritation. Tyler Glasnow, arguably L.A.’s ace this season, simply landed on the IL with the identical analysis.
Sasaki’s standing, specifically, is murky. He started a throwing program earlier this month however felt discomfort once more final week and has since been shut down.
“He’s just not feeling strong,” Roberts mentioned. “We’re not going to push him.”
With innings at a premium and the postseason image starting to sharpen, Ohtani’s return—nevertheless transient—provides a glimmer of aid and a complete lot of hope.
This isn’t nearly one inning, and even two.
That is about historical past in actual time.
Ohtani’s presence on a big-league mound reminds us of what’s potential when perseverance meets transcendent expertise. It’s a narrative that stretches from the Tokyo Dome to Chavez Ravine, one stuffed with setbacks, surgical procedures, hypothesis, and now—redemption.
“This is very exciting,” added Roberts of Ohtani making his Dodgers debut on the mound. “I’m a baseball fan first. The anticipation right here for the sport, man it’s going to be bananas.”
Come Monday night time, when the No. 17 jersey jogs out from the Dodgers dugout and takes that sluggish, deliberate stroll to the mound, the roar received’t simply be for a pitch.
It’ll be for the second.
A second 659 days within the making.
A second price each second of the wait.
