Vibes are at an all-time high in Arizona and Florida as pitchers and catchers make their way down to Spring Training. One welcome sight many fans saw throughout the first day is Japanese phenom Shohei Ohtani getting some throws in from the mound.
The 30-year-old two-way player did not throw a single pitch during the 2024 season after undergoing an elbow injury and consequent surgery in September 2023. Despite not throwing off a mound in his first season in a Dodgers uniform, he still put up remarkable numbers at the plate, leading the MLB in home runs and RBIs, taking home his third MVP Award.
Ohtani’s last season on the mound was in 2023, pitching with the Los Angeles Angels. He made 23 starts that season, pitching to a 10-5 record, posting a 3.14 ERA, striking out 167 batters, and walking 55 across 132 innings of work. The season prior, Ohtani finished fourth in A.L. Cy Young voting, making 28 starts going 15-9, posting a 2.33 ERA, logging 166 innings, striking out 219 batters.
It will be intriguing to see how the Dodgers will monitor Ohtani as he works to progress back to pitching this season. While it’s no secret as to his talent in the batter’s box, hopefully he will be able to pick up where he left off part of a star-studded Dodgers rotation.
