Shohei Ohtani’s next pitching start is confirmed.
Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts announced that Ohtani will start on Sunday against the Nationals in the final game of a three-game series against Washington. The start will be Ohtani’s second as a pitcher since his return to the mound on Monday from a lengthy layoff.
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Ohtani made his Dodgers pitching debut in Monday’s 6-3 win over the San Diego Padres. He started the game and pitched a single inning, allowing two hits and one earned run on 28 pitches. The three-time All-Star as a pitcher repeatedly reached the high 90s with his fastball and peaked at 100.2 mph on a wild pitch.
The mound appearance was Ohtani’s first since against live batters since Aug. 23, 2023, when he was a member of the Los Angeles Angels. A month later, he underwent surgery to repair the ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow for the second time. He previously underwent Tommy John surgery in 2018.
Ohtani joined the Dodgers the following offseason and earned NL MVP honors in 2024 while recording 59 stolen bases and leading the NL with 54 home runs and 130 RBI. He took the entire season off as a pitcher while recovering from his UCL surgery and has since worked back up to facing MLB hitters through bullpen sessions and simulated games.
Shohei Ohtani appears to be back in a regular rotation, though he’s not likely to see full starters innings for a while. (AP Foto/Kyusung Gong)
(ASSOCIATED PRESS)
With his bat so valuable, the Dodgers opted to skip sending him to the minors for a rehab assignment. Ohtani instead faced live hitting for the first time since 2023 against San Diego’s high-powered lineup.
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Roberts said on Tuesday that Ohtani was “a little fatigued” after the start, but teased another pitching appearance in the coming days.
“He’s feeling good,” Roberts said. “I think he’s just a little fatigued, but feels good.”
Roberts then told reporters Wednesday night that the plan was for Ohtani to pitch on Sunday against the Nationals. The Dodgers listed Ohtani as the probable starter for Sunday’s game on Thursday.
It’s not clear how long Ohtani will pitch, but his Sunday start will certainly be abbreviated as he continues to work back into shape for pitching a full starter’s workload. The Dodgers are counting on Ohtani’s arm for the long-run this season as they seek to compete for a second straight World Series championship.
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The Dodgers enter Thursday night’s series finale against the Padres on a five-game winning streak that includes three wins against the Padres and two wins against the San Francisco Giants, each of which are challenging Dodgers at the top of the NL West.
The win streak puts the Dodgers at 46-29, 4.5 games ahead of the Giants and six ahead of the Padres in the NL West standings.
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