By Adeniyi Precious 
Spring Training is here, and the Dodgers are gearing up to defend their World Series title. A big focus is Shohei Ohtani, who was a huge part of their championship run last season but hasn’t been fully utilized yet. After missing the 2024 season on the mound due to Tommy John surgery, Ohtani’s fans are eager to see him pitch again.
Manager Dave Roberts gave an important update: Ohtani won’t go on a rehab assignment before he’s ready to pitch, meaning he’ll still be available to DH. He won’t be pitching in the Cactus League this spring either. Ohtani is set to throw a bullpen session this weekend to start his rehab process.
While his elbow injury didn’t affect his hitting last season, Ohtani was still an MVP contender with 54 home runs, 130 RBIs, and a top OPS+. Now, the big question is how the Dodgers’ rotation will shake out. With new signings like Roki Sasaki and Yoshinobu Yamamoto, plus returning pitchers like Tony Gonsolin and Dustin May, there’s a lot of competition for starting spots. Clayton Kershaw is also coming back for another season, which adds another layer to the rotation battle.
Ohtani’s return timeline will play a key role in how things unfold. If his rehab takes longer than expected, the Dodgers’ deep pitching staff, including bullpen arms like May and Gonsolin, might need to step up. Either way, Roberts has plenty of options and one of the most loaded pitching staffs in the league.