Shohei Ohtani Makes His 2025 And Dodgers Debut On The Mound

Forbes

17-06-2025

On June 21, 2023, while wearing a Los Angeles Angels uniform, Shohei Ohtani pitched seven innings against the Los Angeles Dodgers, giving up one run, while striking out twelve.
Two months after would be the last time that he climbed the hill to throw a pitch in an actual MLB game for nearly the next two years. In that final game he recorded four outs – two via strikeout – before leaving in the second inning with an elbow injury. A few weeks later he underwent his second major elbow surgery (this one an internal brace procedure), which kept him off the mound for the entirety of the 2024 season).
No matter. All Ohtani did in 2024 was become the first player in MLB history to hit 50 home runs and steal 50 bases (he actually went 54/59, but who's counting?). And, of course, he won his third unanimous MVP award, becoming only the second player – after Frank Robinson (1961/1966) – to win the award in both the American and National Leagues.
After the 2023 season, the Dodgers signed Ohtani to a 10-year/$700 million contract (with $680 million deferred). For that money, Los Angeles knew they wouldn't get 'Two-Way Ohtani' in the first year, but they had dreams of him going forward. Like with everything he does, Ohtani was deliberate in his rehabilitation. And unlike other pitchers under a similar recovery plan, he has not been able to go down to the minors to work out the kinks. Rather, to get himself ready for big league competition, he has thrown a handful of live batting practices and simulated games prior to regularly-scheduled Dodgers' games.
After his previous session last Tuesday in San Diego, in which he threw 44 pitches, manager Dave Roberts was asked about the prospect of Ohtani pitching in an actual game prior to the All-Star break in July. Roberts responded that there is a 'north of zero' chance of that happening.
Fast forward five days. After a Sunday Night Baseball game against the rival Giants, the club announced that Ohtani would make his 2025 and Dodgers pitching debut on Monday night against the Padres. The plan was for him to go one inning.
Monday's game was already set to be a sell out, with it being Blake Snell's bobblehead night (the Dodgers' 9th of 21 such giveaways over the course of the summer). But, when the public learned that 'Two-Way Ohtani' would be fully operational (even if just for three outs), they poured into Chavez Ravine.
At 7:08pm, Shohei Ohtani and eight of his teammates jogged onto the field. There were very few empty seats (which is atypical for a weeknight Dodger game, as fans fight traffic and a less-than-fan-friendly parking lot) as Ohtani began his warm-up tosses. He slowly and deliberately threw six (bouncing one).
His first pitch as a Dodger was a 98 MPH fastball that Fernando Tatís bounced foul. The next three pitches were all balls, before Tatís swung through a 98 MPH heater. On 99 MPH 3-2 pitch, the right fielder flared one to center to lead off the game with a single.
Ohtani's next pitch went to the backstop, moving Tatís into scoring position. Luis Arráez worked a 2-2 count before lining a single to left.
Manny Machado was next, and he ran the count full before hitting a soft liner to center for a sacrifice fly – the first run Ohtani has given up in 677 days.
Left fielder Gavin Sheets also worked a full count before grounding out to second.
And then it took only three pitches to retire shortstop Xander Bogaerts on a slow roller to third.
In one inning that took about twelve minutes, Ohtani threw 28 pitches, only 16 for strikes. He threw two at 100 MPH, both of which missed the strike zone. After such a long layoff, it was clear that Ohtani did not have command, as he sprayed every pitch in his repertoire all over, missing multiple times with each. It is entirely possible that his adrenaline got the best of him, which should have been anticipated.
Ohtani left the game trailing 1-0. He then came to bat to lead off the bottom of the first against Padres' ace Dylan Cease. Ohtani ran the count full before striking out on a tough slider – the same slider that felled the next batter, Mookie Betts.
When Anthony Banda came out to pitch the second inning, Ohtani's pitching line for the night was locked, and he took his seat in the dugout as the Dodgers' designated hitter.
Ohtani will have many more moments on the spot that Vin Scully once dubbed 'the loneliest place in the world,' the mound at Dodger Stadium. Over the course of the next eight and half years, he will give Dodger fans a lot to cheer about. He will strike out many batters, and win many games. He will be an integral part of pennant chases and post-season excitement. But, on Monday June 16, 2025, in his first foray as a Dodger pitcher, Ohtani did none of that. He served as a one-inning opener, didn't look particularly sharp, and left the game potentially on the hook for a loss.
But worry not. In the bottom of the third inning, with two outs and Andy Pages on third base, Ohtani crushed a 105 MPH double to left-center to tie the game and insure his no-decision. He added an RBI single an inning later. Is there anything this guy can't do?