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Here's When Los Angeles Dodgers Star Shohei Ohtani is Expected to Start Pitching Again

The Dodgers enter play on Sunday in second place in the National League West, and they've done that without the contributions of Ohtani on the mound.
Brady Farkas|
Los Angeles Dodgers two-way player Shohei Ohtani (17) looks on against the Arizona Diamondbacks during the second inning at Chase Field on May 10.
Los Angeles Dodgers two-way player Shohei Ohtani (17) looks on against the Arizona Diamondbacks during the second inning at Chase Field on May 10. | Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images

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Los Angeles Dodgers

The Los Angeles Dodgers enter play on Sunday at 26-14 and in second place in the National League West. Though the Dodgers have immense talent, it's still impressive what they've accomplished despite injuries to Blake Snell, Teoscar Hernandez, Clayton Kershaw and Tyler Glasnow.

Furthermore, the team hasn't gotten any mound contributions from Shohei Ohtani, who is still working back from a Tommy John surgery in 2023.

And according to Bob Nightengale of USA Today, the Dodgers don't plan on pitching Ohtani until after the All-Star break.

The Dodgers are holding back Shohei Ohtani from pitching until after the All-Star break believing there’s no sense in hurrying him to the mound while he continues to put up MVP numbers at the plate.

Ohtani's rehab plan is certainly different than most, considering he can't step away from the lineup to go on a minor league assignment. He has to rehab more thoroughly on the side and find time before games to get his recovery work in. Originally, we thought Ohtani was going to return to the mound in May, but that has been pushed back clearly.

In five seasons as a pitcher, he's gone 38-19 even despite being on some mediocre to bad Angels teams before signing with the Dodgers. He has a lifetime ERA of 3.01 and has struck out 608 batters in 481.2 innings.

Ohtani is hitting .305 this season with 12 homers, 20 RBIs and 10 stolen bases. He's a four-time All-Star, a three-time Silver Slugger and a three-time MVP.

The Dodgers will play the Diamondbacks on Sunday afternoon.

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Brady Farkas
BRADY FARKAS

Brady Farkas is a baseball writer for Fastball on Sports Illustrated/FanNation and the host of 'The Payoff Pitch' podcast which can be found on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Videos on baseball also posted to YouTube. Brady has spent nearly a decade in sports talk radio and is a graduate of Oswego State University. You can follow him on Twitter @WDEVRadioBrady. 

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