Shohei Ohtani Predicted to Only Make 10 Pitching Starts for Dodgers in 2025

Los Angeles Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani is set to return to a two-way player in 2025, but that milestone comes with its own set of challenges.

More news: Dodgers 'Don't Know' When Shohei Ohtani Will Pitch This Season, Says Manager

The speculation of the spring was when Ohtani would make his long-awaited return to the mound. President of baseball operations Andrew Friedman revealed the Dodgers would go from a five-man to a six-man rotation once Ohtani made his pitching debut with the Dodgers.

At the start of spring training, the Dodgers and Ohtani seemed to reveal he would be ready to pitch sometime in May; however, the latest update indicates there is a level of uncertainty when it comes to Ohtani pitching in 2025.

“We just felt that to intensify the bullpens alongside of the intensity of the games wasn’t smart,” manager Dave Roberts said. “So we just wanted to kind of slow-play it.”

The unknown has seemingly prevented Roberts from putting a firm date on Ohtani's return to the mound.

“I just feel, and we all feel, (that we’re) just trying to make it a broad time to return,” Roberts said. “We just don’t know. And so I think that when he’s ready, when the process, the progression, as it’s going on, we’ll know. But I don’t want to put any kind of expectation on you guys, or Shohei.”

Ohtani appears to be in full form on the hitting side, as he has shown thus far in Cactus League play. The NL MVP is 5-for-12 (.417) with one home run and an OPS of 1.167.

“I don’t think he’s going to get the same number of at-bats, plate appearances, given that he’s going to be pitching,” Roberts said. “I don’t think he’s going to steal as many bases, just appreciating the fact that he does need to pitch and save his legs. But as far as the kind of performance per plate appearance, I still think he can be just as productive. And I’m sure Shohei is expecting the same thing.”

ESPN insider Eric Karabell predicts Ohtani will once again thrive as the Dodgers' designated hitter, but won't exactly return to the dominant pitcher he once was.

"DH/RHP Shohei Ohtani hits a career-high .325, but he steals only 19 bases. He makes 10 pitching starts, one more than LHP Clayton Kershaw," Karabell writes.

At least for now, things appear to be falling in line with Karabell's prediction.

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