Shohei Ohtani to Face Angels as Pitcher in Next Start

Aug 6, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers two-way player Shohei Ohtani (17) pitches in the first inning against the St. Louis Cardinals at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images | Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images

The Los Angeles Dodgers are set to square off against the Los Angeles Angels over the first half of August, and superstar Shohei Ohtani is scheduled to pitch against his former team.

The two-way star is back to pitching this season after missing more than a season on the mound. Before this season, his last start as a pitcher came while he was with the Angels in 2023.

He ended up suffering a major injury and eventually got surgery to repair a torn UCL before becoming a free agent. He played with the Dodgers last year strictly as a designated hitter, but this season, he started ramping up his rehabilitation.

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Ohtani has pitched 19 innings this season through eight starts. The Dodgers have limited him to short stints, throwing a handful of innings.

He has a 2.37 ERA, giving up five runs, five walks, while racking up 25 strikeouts. As a pitcher, he has been throwing hard, elite stuff.

During his last start, Ohtani pitched four innings and got eight strikeouts while also hitting a home run in the same game, showcasing how special he is on the baseball field.

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“I thought it was a big day for me personally getting to the fourth inning. That was really good in terms of building up,” Ohtani said via his translator after his latest start.

“I don’t really try to think too differently on days that I pitch."

"It really felt good, the command of the fastball. Overall, the slider and curveball was really good.”

The Japanese two-way star will be pitching on Wednesday against the Angels, and he is to throw four innings during the start.

Dave Roberts said Shohei Ohtani’s next pitching outing will be Wednesday in Anaheim. Plan is for him to go four innings.

Will it be an emotional return? “Not really,” Roberts said.

— Fabian Ardaya (@FabianArdaya) August 9, 2025

The Dodgers are expected to continue to be careful with Ohtani going forward as a pitcher. They want to protect him going forward and make sure he stays on the field.

“We don’t need him to. I think that it’s possible. I’m not saying it’s unlikely. The five-inning threshold is something that we feel can get you through a game and use relievers (for the rest of the game),” Roberts said regarding the innings limit.

“So you’re still weighing the cost of getting him more beyond that, right? So I think that the five-inning threshold, we’re very comfortable with.

"Now going forward, we’ll see if that changes. But I think for sure for the next few turns, I don’t see him getting beyond five.”

While it's good for baseball that the Dodgers two-way star is back to full form, it certainly must sting for the Angels witnessing Ohtani at his best with their crosstown rivals.

For more Angels news, head over to Angels on SI.