Eventually, hopefully, Shohei Ohtani will pitch for the Los Angeles Dodgers.
L.A. isn’t complaining too much about Ohtani’s massive contributions at the plate and on the bases. But it’s a bit of a bummer that the two-way sensation has only gotten to go one-way for the Dodgers thus far.
Ohtani’s Tommy John surgery rehab continues, as he has thrown multiple bullpen sessions and started to incorporate a splitter.
But it’s not a quick journey back to the mound, and Dodgers manager Dave Roberts gave the latest update Thursday on The Jim Rome Show.
Roberts described Ohtani as “still a couple months away” from pitching for the Dodgers.
“I know that’s still vague, but we’re just trying to get to the next step, get to the next step and see where we’re at,” Roberts said.
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It makes sense for the Dodgers to exercise extreme caution. They have Ohtani for the next decade, and they wouldn’t want to lose his major bat by overdoing it on the other side of the ball.
Potential postseason foes of the Dodgers have some reason to fear, though, according to Roberts’ comments.
“Certainly expect him to pitch for us this year and through the postseason,” Roberts said.
That would mean the defending World Series champs could be even more dangerous this October.
Ohtani’s last two pitching seasons were phenomenal. He had a 2.33 ERA in 2022 and a 3.14 ERA in 2024.
He’s off to another strong start at the plate, batting .288 with six home runs and five stolen bases.
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