TL;DR - Scouting Report
Dave Roberts reveals Shohei Ohtani’s pitching timeline for 2025. The Dodgers MVP won’t pitch before May as the team prioritizes recovery.
Start the Rally: Tweet This Now!Dodgers DH/P Shohei Ohtani is getting ready to pitch in the 2025 season as evidenced by a private workout on Saturday.
However, in an interview released by Hochi Sports in Japan, Dave Roberts has unveiled the timeline for the earliest that the 30-year-old Ohtani would be allowed to pitch for the World Champions.
Roberts had a New Year’s conversation with Hideki Kuriyama, the Chief Baseball Officer for the Nippon-Ham Fighters of Japan’s Pacific League.
Kuriyama managed Ohtani and the championship-winning team from Japan. He, along with many baseball fans around the world, are not only concerned about the MVP’s return to the mound, but concerned that he’s not rushed back, either.
How Dave Roberts Will Manage Shohei Ohtani in 2025
Roberts on Ohtani’s timeline and innings limit:
“This year he is a two-way player, but I don’t plan on letting him pitch until May 2025. He hasn’t pitched for a whole year, so he won’t be able to pitch from March to October (2024). We have to think about the number of innings he will pitch. He (Ohtani) knows that too.”
A warning was issued from Kuriyama to Roberts to not rush Ohtani back because he will definitely say, “I want to pitch soon.” To which Roberts said with laughter that he’ll persuade him with the help of doctors and trainers. Then in seriousness, Roberts replied, “I need to give him some time off to keep his health and elbow in good condition.”
Kuriyama shared much thanks to Roberts and the Dodgers for bringing more baseball to Japan, where, in his opinion, more Dodgers baseball was watched than anywhere else. He then called the Dodgers the “best in the world”.
When Ohtani was injured during his time with Nippon-Ham, he always told Kuriyama that he wanted to play, no matter what kind of injury he had. This was evidenced in the 2024 World Series after dislocating his left shoulder while trying to steal second base in Game 2 of the World Series at Dodger Stadium.
Roberts on his allowing Ohtani to keep playing in the World Series:
“It was difficult – he was planning to play. When he moved to New York for Game 3, he said, ‘oh, it hurts, oh it hurts’. Every time he swung at the batting cage he had the injured area taped up. When I asked him, ‘are you OK? Maybe it’s better to not play?’ He said, ‘I’ll play. No matter what, I’ll play.’ If it was during the season, I would have stopped. But it was the World Series. I think Shohei had seen (Freddie) Freeman playing through an injured right ankle and broken ribs. So he said, ‘I’ll play too’.
Roberts on giving Ohtani breaks during the season:
“I don’t think Shohei would want to take a break. I have to thank Kuriyama-san for raising him that way.’ (laughs)
Not shared in the interview from Hochi Sports was the admission that the number of stolen bases for Ohtani will decrease in 2025.
Your Turn: Which date do you project Shohei Ohtani will return to the mound for the Dodgers in 2025? Tell us below in the comments!
