TL;DR - Scouting Report
Shohei Ohtani’s pitching return is scary for MLB. After dominating as an MVP hitter, he’s set to rejoin the Dodgers’ rotation in 2025. If he returns to form, LA’s rotation could be unstoppable. Can Ohtani go from Tommy John to Cy Young?
Start the Rally: Tweet This Now!Shohei Ohtani’s pitching return in 2025 is one of the most anticipated storylines in baseball. After missing the 2024 season due to Tommy John surgery, Ohtani is preparing to rejoin the Dodgers’ rotation, potentially making it the strongest in franchise history.
How Shohei Ohtani’s Pitching Return in 2025 Could Change the Dodgers
Despite recovering from a second Tommy John surgery last season, Ohtani’s offensive dominance remained unmatched. He crushed 54 home runs, 130 RBIs and swiped 59 bases, securing the NL MVP (his second MVP award), all without throwing a single pitch.
Now, as his return to the mound looms, the question isn’t whether Ohtani will pitch – it’s how dominant he could be.
Dave Roberts Confident in Ohtani’s Pitching Return
Manager Dave Roberts has no doubts. “I think the velocity will be there, he’ll have a feel for his pitches,” Roberts said. “I’ve really never seen anyone as competitive as Shohei, so I would expect him to be the same pitcher, as he’s expecting himself to be the pitcher he was when he was healthy.”
Ohtani’s career pitching numbers are elite. Have a look:
- 38-19 record (67 percent win rate)
- 3.01 ERA
- 608 strikeouts in 481.2 innings (11.4 K/9)
- 1.061 WHIP
Is This the Deepest Dodgers Rotation Ever?
If he replicates that production in a rotation alongside Tyler Glasnow, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, and Blake Snell, this could be the Dodgers’ deepest rotation might in franchise history. That would be saying something when thinking back to the tandems of Sandy Koufax and Don Drysdale and more recently Clayton Kershaw and Zack Greinke.
Ohtani’s two-way brilliance is what makes him a generational talent, but his return as a pitcher adds a whole new element of danger. If he delivers at even 80% of his previous form, the Dodgers will be tough to be stopped.
Will Ohtani be the Same Pitcher After Tommy John?
In 2022, Ohtani finished fourth in the AL Cy Young award voting, posting a 15-9 record with a 2.33 ERA, 1.012 WHIP and 2.40 FIP, striking out 219 batters in 166 innings, an 11.9 K/9.
His competitive edge, historic production, and seamless recovery process are fueling expectations. Could Shohei Ohtani’s pitching return in 2025 take him from Tommy John to Cy Young contention? MLB could be on notice—Ohtani isn’t just coming back. He might be better than ever.
