Los Angeles Dodgers’ Shohei Ohtani is unlikely to pitch in Japan next season as he recovers from elbow surgery, but he may still contribute as a hitter.
Los Angeles: So, it looks like Shohei Ohtani might not be pitching for the Dodgers when they kick off the season in Japan next spring. Bummer, right?
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts mentioned that Ohtani is still on the mend from his elbow surgery. He’s not expected to be ready for those games against the Cubs in Tokyo come March.
But hey, there’s a silver lining! Ohtani should be good to go as a hitter when the season starts. The team plans to be flexible with his workload and will figure out a way to get him back on the mound.
Fans in Japan might be a bit disappointed, but Roberts hinted that Ohtani could be back pitching by the 2025 season. He didn’t pitch at all last year while recovering from that torn UCL.
Even without pitching, Ohtani had an amazing season, helping the Dodgers snag their eighth World Series title and earning a unanimous MVP award. He made history by hitting 50 home runs and stealing 50 bases in the same season!
It’s still a bit unclear when he’ll be back on the mound, but if everything goes well, we can expect to see him in the Dodgers’ rotation soon enough.