Shohei Ohtani to Officially Make Pitching Debut for Dodgers on Monday

Shohei Ohtani's much-anticipated return to the mound is happening sooner than expected.

Following the Los Angeles Dodgers' 5-4 win over the San Francisco Giants on Sunday, the Dodgers announced that Ohtani will make his first pitching start for the Dodgers on Monday against the San Diego Padres. Manager Dave Roberts originally said after the game that there was a "high possibility" Ohtani would make his pitching debut for the team this week, and shortly after, the team made the decision official.

Though it originally appeared like Ohtani wouldn't return to pitching until after the All-Star break in July, Roberts opened the door last week by saying that there was a "north of zero" chance Ohtani could come back to pitch ahead of schedule.

Ohtani has not pitched since his second MVP-winning season with the Los Angeles Angels in 2023. His most recent start came in August of that year, before he suffered a torn UCL injury that prematurely ended his season. During that 2023 season, Ohtani was 10-5 with a 3.14 ERA and 167 strikeouts. Over his pitching career, Ohtani has a 3.01 ERA and 608 total strikeouts.

Since joining the Dodgers following the 2023 season, Ohtani has solely played as the team's designated hitter. He was stellar just as a hitter in 2024, setting the Dodgers' single-season home run record and becoming the first player in MLB history with at least 50 home runs and 50 stolen bases in a single season. This season hasn't been too shabby either—Ohtani is batting .297 with 25 home runs and 41 RBIs.