Dodgers’ Offseason Gets Even Better as Shohei Ohtani’s Pitching Progress Stuns Dave Roberts
The Los Angeles Dodgers have had a historic offseason, but perhaps their most valuable pitching addition for 2025 was already in their clubhouse.
It’s almost unbelievable that the reigning National League MVP who became the first player in MLB history to crush over 50 home runs while stealing 50 bases in the same season still has another elite skill set waiting to be unleashed.
Shohei Ohtani first took the MLB stage in 2018 with the Los Angeles Angels, immediately redefining what a modern baseball superstar could be. Like something out of a baseball legend from the 1920s, he wasn’t just a 20-home-run slugger he was also a dominant arm with a 3.31 ERA.
When Ohtani inked his record-shattering 10-year, $700 million deal with the Dodgers last offseason, it was clear that he’d focus solely on hitting in 2024. While he demolished baseballs en route to his third MVP title and membership in the exclusive 50/50 club, he was also quietly rehabbing from UCL surgery in his pitching elbow.
Now, it seems, the best is yet to come.
As Ohtani ramps up for a highly anticipated return to the mound, he’s already throwing bullpen sessions and targeting a May comeback. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts recently shared his thoughts on Ohtani’s progress and he couldn’t hide his amazement.
“Given who he is as a player and as a person, yes, I’m surprised,” Roberts admitted. “But there’s still a process we’re following. He understands we’ve got a long season ahead, so he’s fully bought into whatever we need from him.
“But seeing how quickly he’s progressing? Very surprising and exciting.”
Ohtani was already a game-changer for the Dodgers during their World Series-winning campaign, but his return to the mound adds an entirely new dimension to their dominance.
Over his MLB pitching career, Ohtani boasts a stellar 3.01 ERA with a 38-19 record since 2018. His 608 strikeouts against just 173 walks would be elite numbers for any pitcher but for a player who also mashes home runs at a historic pace, it’s simply unprecedented.
With Ohtani poised to reclaim his two-way superstar status, the defending champions are about to gain an advantage no other team in baseball can match.
