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The day the Los Angeles Dodgers were hoping for the most has finally arrived, as Shohei Ohtani will get his start for the club. He will showcase his two-way prowess after being sidelined from pitching for nearly two years since he was with the Los Angeles Angels.
Shohei Ohtani was shut down from pitching for the entirety of last season because of a second UCL repair following an injury in August 2023. That season, he won the American League MVP unanimously, pitching 10-5 with a 3.14 ERA and 167 strikeouts in 132.0 innings pitched and batting .304 with 95 RBIs and 44 home runs in 135 games.
Ohtani's first UCL tear came early in his career when he had trouble showcasing his two-way talent. He was written off by many, but after his breakthrough in 2021, leading to his first AL MVP award, there has been no stopping the Japanese talent.
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From 2021 leading up to his second UCL tear, Ohtani posted a 2.84 ERA in 428.1 innings with 542 strikeouts. Overall, he had a 3.01 ERA in six seasons with the Los Angeles Angels, averaging 277 and hitting 124 home runs and stealing 57 bases, stamping his authority as one of the modern legends.
Ohtani's return to the mound earlier seemed unlikely before the All-Star break. He had pushed back his rehab during the offseason by a few months because of a left shoulder injury during the 2024 World Series. But he picked up his workload on his arm and regained strength, enough to pitch three simulated games since the start of the season.
His latest simulated game with live hitters came before the Tuesday outing against the San Diego Padres. Ohtani completed three innings of 44 pitches and racked up the speed on his fastball to the mid 90s mph. He also showed effective control with his pitching arsenal. So, the Dodgers feel he can be bumped to a start against the Padres on Monday.
Shohei Ohtani's start couldn't have come at a better time for the Dodgers, who have 14 pitchers on the shelves due to injury.
It includes three considered crucial to defend their World Series title - Blake Snell, Roki Sasaki and Tyler Glasnow. With the trio out, Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Clayton Kershaw have started alongside starters like Dustin May.
What to expect from Shohei Ohtani's first start in almost two years?
The Dodgers will be cautious about putting too much pressure on Shohei Ohtani from the start. He's expected to get a short start with a pitch count hovering between the 40-50 pitch mark depending on the game situation.
The Dodgers also have the advantage of Ohtani's two-way designation that allows them to carry an extra pitcher to their 13-pitcher quota. As Ohtani doesn't count as a pitcher, the Dodgers can carry on with the same arms and have a piggyback starter to back Ohtani's short start.
The team will also keep in mind that Shohei Ohtani's time as a DH is also crucial to them. As a leadoff hitter, he's hitting at .297 with 41 RBIs and 25 home runs.
