Shohei Ohtani is getting closer to his return to the mound.
The Dodgers superstar took a significant step Sunday, facing live batters for the first time since his elbow injury in August 2023. Ohtani threw 22 pitches during a live batting practice session at Citi Field, showing promising signs in his recovery.
Ohtani faced utility man Hyeseong Kim, catching prospect Dalton Rushing, and communication coach JT Watkins. The results? Two strikeouts, a groundout, a line drive to right field, and a walk. Not bad for someone who hasn’t pitched competitively in nearly two years.
After Kim ripped a liner down the right-field line, Ohtani playfully asked Dodgers right fielder Teoscar Hernandez if he would’ve caught it. That’s the kind of confidence you want to see from a pitcher working his way back.
Shohei Ohtani threw Live BP today. pic.twitter.com/HDxM1OOqDQ
— Blazin’ Baseball (@BlazinBaseball) May 25, 2025
Back in February, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts told reporters that Ohtani might return to pitching in May. That timeline has shifted, with Fox Sports’ Ken Rosenthal reporting in April that the Dodgers are now focusing on having Ohtani ready to pitch for the postseason.
Sunday’s session marks his first time facing hitters since he left an Angels game against the Reds on August 2, 2023, with what was later diagnosed as a torn UCL, leading to his second Tommy John surgery.
Ohtani’s Road to Recovery
The path back to pitching hasn’t been straightforward for Ohtani. After signing his record-breaking 10-year, $700 million contract with the Dodgers last December (with $680 million deferred until after 2034), he’s been focused primarily on his hitting and baserunning while his arm heals.
His first bullpen session came in April when he threw 26 pitches, but things had been quiet on the pitching front until Sunday’s live BP session.
What makes Ohtani’s recovery more complicated is that he also underwent arthroscopic surgery to repair a torn left labrum in his shoulder after injuring it during Game 2 of last year’s World Series against the Yankees. That didn’t stop him from playing through the injury to help the Dodgers win their second championship in five years.
Despite the shoulder issue limiting his production in the World Series (just a .385 OPS), Ohtani capped off a historic 2024 season where he became the founding member of the “50-50 Club” with 54 home runs and 59 stolen bases. He added 130 RBIs and a .310 batting average on his way to a third MVP award.
What Ohtani Brings to the Mound
When healthy, Ohtani isn’t just a good pitcher – he’s one of baseball’s elite arms. From 2021-2023, he posted three consecutive seasons with at least 130 innings, 150 strikeouts, and an ERA under 3.20. In 2022, his best season on the mound, he finished fourth in AL Cy Young voting.
His career pitching numbers speak for themselves:
| Season | Games | Record | ERA | Innings pitched | WHIP | Strikeouts | Walks | Hits | Earned runs |
| 2018 | 10 | 4-2 | 3.31 | 51.2 | 1.16 | 63 | 22 | 38 | 19 |
| 2020 | 2 | 0-1 | 37.80 | 1.2 | 6.60 | 3 | 8 | 3 | 7 |
| 2021 | 23 | 9-2 | 3.18 | 130.1 | 1.09 | 156 | 44 | 98 | 46 |
| 2022 | 28 | 15-9 | 2.33 | 166.0 | 1.01 | 219 | 44 | 124 | 43 |
| 2023 | 23 | 10-5 | 3.14 | 132.0 | 1.06 | 167 | 55 | 85 | 46 |
| Totals | 86 | 38-19 | 3.01 | 481.2 | 1.08 | 608 | 173 | 348 | 161 |
The Dodgers aren’t rushing Ohtani back to the mound, and that’s smart. They’re already one of baseball’s best teams, and having him healthy for a postseason run could be the difference between another championship and an early exit.
Sunday’s live BP session is a promising sign that Ohtani’s return to two-way stardom is on track. The next steps will likely include more live batting practice sessions with increasing pitch counts before a potential minor league rehab assignment.
For now, Dodgers fans can take comfort in knowing that their $700 million man is making real progress toward becoming the game’s most complete player once again. And that’s a scary thought for the rest of MLB.
