If you thought Shohei Ohtani had a historic first season with the Los Angeles Dodgers, just wait until 2025, when the two-way phenom officially returns to the mound.
Yes, after a season where he smashed his way into the record books as a designated hitter, Ohtani is set to remind everyone why he’s one of the most electrifying players the sport has ever seen.
And Dodgers GM Brandon Gomes? Well, he’s making it clear—Ohtani’s pitching comeback isn’t a question of if but when.
Ohtani’s Record-Breaking First Season with the Dodgers
Let’s take a second to appreciate just how absurdly good Ohtani was in his first National League season. Fifty home runs. Fifty stolen bases.
No one—not Babe Ruth, Barry Bonds, or even the most overpowered video game character you can dream up—has ever done that before.
And he did all of this while still recovering from Tommy John surgery, meaning his pitching arm wasn’t even a factor.
Just imagine what happens when he’s back to being a two-way force. Scary, right?
When Will Ohtani Return to the Mound?
Gomes recently appeared on The Show podcast and confirmed what Dodgers fans have been waiting to hear.
Ohtani is expected to be part of the team’s starting rotation in 2025. The plan? Take things step by step, ensuring he’s fully built up before throwing in live-game action.
The Dodgers aren’t rushing anything, and with a decade-long investment in the superstar, you can’t blame them.
And for anyone wondering why he didn’t pitch in the postseason—Gomes laid it all out. The timing was everything. Ohtani was still in the early stages of his pitching ramp-up as the playoffs approached.
Was it worth the risk of him making his first competitive throws in the middle of a high-stakes playoff run? Absolutely not.
The Dodgers were never going to jeopardize their best hitter for a short-term gamble, and considering they went on to win the World Series, it’s safe to say they made the right call.
A Two-Way Threat in 2025
With a championship in the books and a healthy offseason ahead, Ohtani is gearing up for a return to full two-way dominance.
That means opposing pitchers will still have to deal with his elite bat and opposing hitters?
Well, they’ll soon have to face the same guy who boasts a career 3.01 ERA with a triple-digit fastball.
So, as the 2025 MLB season approaches, one thing is clear—Shohei Ohtani isn’t just rewriting the rules of baseball.
He’s breaking them entirely. And the Dodgers? They’re about to get even more dangerous.
