Los Angeles Dodgers two-way star Shohei Ohtani returned to the mound on Monday night for the first time in almost two years and touched 100 mph against the San Diego Padres
The Los Angeles Dodgers significantly upgraded their pitching rotation with recent signings of Roki Sasaki from Japan and Blake Snell from the San Francisco Giants. However, it was the return of their star pitcher, Shohei Ohtani, that dominated headlines on Monday night. After inking a jaw-dropping seven-year, $700 million contract in 2023, Ohtani made his much-anticipated return to the mound at Dodger Stadium following a long road to recovery.
After nearly two years away from game action, this first outing was a pivotal moment. With the team exercising caution, Ohtani had ramped up his preparation over the past few weeks. This build-up included two simulated games at rival stadiums, designed to fine-tune his skills while minimizing risk. Despite these efforts, the Dodgers appeared cautious, concerned about the potential of re-injury after Ohtani underwent his second UCL repair.
On the night of the game, the anticipation was palpable. During his brief stint on the mound, Ohtani faced a formidable Padres lineup, needing 28 pitches to navigate just one inning. Demonstrating flashes of his former self, he reached an impressive velocity of 100.2 mph, marking the second-fastest pitch thrown by a Dodger this season.
The inning started with a rocky phase for Ohtani, as he allowed back-to-back singles to star players Fernando Tatis Jr. and Luis Arraez. This shaky beginning led to an early score, with Manny Machado hitting a sacrifice fly to bring in the first run. However, Ohtani managed to find his rhythm, recording consecutive groundouts to escape the inning before manager Dave Roberts decided to pull him for left-handed pitcher Anthony Banda as the second inning began. “He’s ready to pitch in a major league game,” Roberts asserted, underscoring the manager’s confidence in Ohtani’s readiness despite the limited outing.
It was preordained that Ohtani’s outing would be restricted, even after a promising 44-pitch simulated game in San Diego just days prior. His lengthy recovery had began after he tore a labrum in his non-throwing shoulder while running the bases in Game 2 of the 2024 World Series against the New York Yankees, leading to further setbacks and frustrations.
Shohei Ohtani burst onto the MLB scene with the Los Angeles Angels in 2018, showcasing his extraordinary dual-threat potential as both a pitcher and hitter. However, injuries sidelined him multiple times, most notably needing Tommy John surgery, which altered his trajectory. After a lackluster return during the COVID-shortened 2020 season, Ohtani made a strong comeback in 2021, eventually finishing fourth in the 2022 American League Cy Young voting thanks to a stellar 2.33 ERA and an impressive 219 strikeouts across 166 innings.
Throughout his career, Ohtani has maintained a remarkable statistical profile, boasting a 3.01 ERA and 1.08 WHIP with 608 strikeouts across 481 innings. On the offensive front, 2025 has seen him pick up right where he left off, reflecting his dual-threat capabilities. Currently, he is slashing an impressive .297/.393/.642 (1.034 OPS) with 25 home runs and 441 RBIs across just 70 games, a testament to his ability to dominate both at the plate and on the mound.
