{"id":26341,"date":"2025-02-16T02:08:52","date_gmt":"2025-02-16T02:08:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/usatoday.azontree.com\/?p=26341"},"modified":"2025-02-16T02:08:52","modified_gmt":"2025-02-16T02:08:52","slug":"shohei-ohtani-flashes-promising-velocity-in-return-to-the-mound-for-dodgers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/usatoday.azontree.com\/?p=26341","title":{"rendered":"Shohei Ohtani flashes promising velocity in return to the mound for Dodgers!"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>The\u00a0Los Angeles Dodgers&#8217; 2024 NL MVP and Japanese phenom\u00a0Shohei Ohtani\u00a0is working on returning to the team&#8217;s pitching staff as early as May.<\/p>\n<p>Ohtani has already proved he can be the team&#8217;s best player with just the bat, becoming the first player ever to hit 50 home runs and steal 50 bases in a season.<\/p>\n<p>But what makes the two-way star with three MVPs so special is his relentlessness in always improving and unlocking the best version of himself.<\/p>\n<aside class=\"m-in-content-ad-row l-inline mm-in-content-ad-row--in-content not-size-a not-size-b not-size-d\" data-ad-group=\"in_content-0\">\n<div class=\"m-in-content-ad not-size-a not-size-b not-size-d\" data-ad-group=\"in_content-0\" data-zone-count=\"2\">\n<div class=\"not-size-a not-size-b not-size-d m-in-content-ad is-loaded\">\n<div id=\"ad-in_content-6d388f138bda49db91b4121575698e7e\" data-google-query-id=\"CKjOp4yOx4sDFbhvDwId9hItSA\" data-ad-size=\"300x250\">\n<div id=\"google_ads_iframe_\/88059007\/athlonsports.com\/mlb\/los-angeles-dodgers_2__container__\"><iframe id=\"google_ads_iframe_\/88059007\/athlonsports.com\/mlb\/los-angeles-dodgers_2\" tabindex=\"0\" title=\"3rd party ad content\" name=\"google_ads_iframe_\/88059007\/athlonsports.com\/mlb\/los-angeles-dodgers_2\" width=\"300\" height=\"250\" frameborder=\"0\" marginwidth=\"0\" marginheight=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\" aria-label=\"Advertisement\" data-load-complete=\"true\" data-google-container-id=\"1\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\"><\/iframe><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<p>As the Dodgers have reported to their spring training facility in Glendale, Arizona, all eyes are on Ohtani as he gets back on the mound after having Tommy John surgery more than a year ago.<\/p>\n<p>It has been since August 2023 that Ohtani last pitched in an MLB game.<\/p>\n<div class=\"m-detail--body-item m-detail--body-item-inline\">\n<figure class=\"l-inline tml-image m-detail--tml-image--inline\"><a><picture class=\"is-loaded\"><source srcset=\"https:\/\/athlonsports.com\/.image\/c_limit%2Ccs_srgb%2Cq_auto:good%2Cw_380\/MjEyODUxOTUxNzg2Nzk2Njcy\/shohei-ohtani-yoshinobu-yamamoto.webp 380w, https:\/\/athlonsports.com\/.image\/c_limit%2Ccs_srgb%2Cq_auto:good%2Cw_620\/MjEyODUxOTUxNzg2Nzk2Njcy\/shohei-ohtani-yoshinobu-yamamoto.webp 620w, https:\/\/athlonsports.com\/.image\/c_limit%2Ccs_srgb%2Cq_auto:good%2Cw_700\/MjEyODUxOTUxNzg2Nzk2Njcy\/shohei-ohtani-yoshinobu-yamamoto.webp 700w\" type=\"image\/webp\" sizes=\"(min-width: 1240px) 700px, (min-width: 675px) 620px, calc(100vw - 40px)\" \/><source srcset=\"https:\/\/athlonsports.com\/.image\/c_limit%2Ccs_srgb%2Cfl_progressive%2Cq_auto:good%2Cw_380\/MjEyODUxOTUxNzg2Nzk2Njcy\/shohei-ohtani-yoshinobu-yamamoto.jpg 380w, https:\/\/athlonsports.com\/.image\/c_limit%2Ccs_srgb%2Cfl_progressive%2Cq_auto:good%2Cw_620\/MjEyODUxOTUxNzg2Nzk2Njcy\/shohei-ohtani-yoshinobu-yamamoto.jpg 620w, https:\/\/athlonsports.com\/.image\/c_limit%2Ccs_srgb%2Cfl_progressive%2Cq_auto:good%2Cw_700\/MjEyODUxOTUxNzg2Nzk2Njcy\/shohei-ohtani-yoshinobu-yamamoto.jpg 700w\" sizes=\"(min-width: 1240px) 700px, (min-width: 675px) 620px, calc(100vw - 40px)\" \/><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"m-detail--tml-image m-image\" src=\"https:\/\/athlonsports.com\/.image\/t_share\/MjEyODUxOTUxNzg2Nzk2Njcy\/shohei-ohtani-yoshinobu-yamamoto.jpg\" srcset=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" alt=\"Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto (18) teammate Shohei Ohtani\" width=\"5092\" height=\"3078\" data-src=\"https:\/\/athlonsports.com\/.image\/c_limit%2Ccs_srgb%2Cfl_progressive%2Cq_auto:good%2Cw_700\/MjEyODUxOTUxNzg2Nzk2Njcy\/shohei-ohtani-yoshinobu-yamamoto.jpg\" \/><\/picture><\/a><\/p>\n<div class=\"m-detail--tml-image-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"m-detail--tml-image-container\"><\/div>\n<\/div><figcaption>\n<p class=\"tml-image--caption\">Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto (18) teammate Shohei Ohtani<\/p>\n<p class=\"tml-image--attribution\">Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images<\/p>\n<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<aside class=\"m-in-content-ad-row l-inline mm-in-content-ad-row--in-content not-size-a not-size-b not-size-d\" data-ad-group=\"in_content-1\">\n<div class=\"m-in-content-ad not-size-a not-size-b not-size-d\" data-ad-group=\"in_content-1\" data-zone-count=\"2\">\n<div class=\"not-size-a not-size-b not-size-d m-in-content-ad is-loaded\">\n<div id=\"ad-in_content-aabd39ca8cee4ccc82defa8f3e6e048e\" data-google-query-id=\"CM6iqIyOx4sDFU5ZDwIdcXEonQ\" data-ad-size=\"300x250\">\n<div id=\"google_ads_iframe_\/88059007\/athlonsports.com\/mlb\/los-angeles-dodgers_6__container__\"><iframe id=\"google_ads_iframe_\/88059007\/athlonsports.com\/mlb\/los-angeles-dodgers_6\" tabindex=\"0\" title=\"3rd party ad content\" name=\"google_ads_iframe_\/88059007\/athlonsports.com\/mlb\/los-angeles-dodgers_6\" width=\"300\" height=\"250\" frameborder=\"0\" marginwidth=\"0\" marginheight=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\" aria-label=\"Advertisement\" data-load-complete=\"true\" data-google-container-id=\"5\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\"><\/iframe><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<p>According to\u00a0USA Today&#8217;s Bob Nightengale, in Shohei Ohtani\u2019s first bullpen session, he threw 92-94 mph.<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s unclear whether he was throwing 100 mph, but still, it is an impressive start for Ohtani, who is eyeing a return to the bump in May to make his Dodgers pitching debut.<\/p>\n<p>Ohtani posted a 3.14 ERA over 132 innings with the\u00a0Los Angeles Angels\u00a0in 2023. He will join an already-loaded starting rotation that includes fellow Japanese stars Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Roki Sasaki.<\/p>\n<p>In another tweet by\u00a0The Athletic&#8217;s Fabian Ardaya, manager Dave Roberts alluded to the possibility of Ohtani seeing live hitters by mid-March when the team departs for its Tokyo Series.<\/p>\n<div class=\"mm-embed-card--list\">\n<div class=\"m-card--media\"><a class=\"m-card--image-link\" tabindex=\"-1\" href=\"https:\/\/athlonsports.com\/mlb\/los-angeles-dodgers\/what-star-mookie-betts-wants-to-improve-for-2025-mlb-season\" rel=\"\"><picture class=\"is-loaded\"><source srcset=\"https:\/\/athlonsports.com\/.image\/ar_16:9%2Cc_fill%2Ccs_srgb%2Cg_faces:center%2Cq_auto:good%2Cw_220\/MjEyODUzODA4MDE3OTc0OTEy\/usatsi_25391253.webp 220w, https:\/\/athlonsports.com\/.image\/ar_16:9%2Cc_fill%2Ccs_srgb%2Cg_faces:center%2Cq_auto:good%2Cw_320\/MjEyODUzODA4MDE3OTc0OTEy\/usatsi_25391253.webp 320w, https:\/\/athlonsports.com\/.image\/ar_16:9%2Cc_fill%2Ccs_srgb%2Cg_faces:center%2Cq_auto:good%2Cw_640\/MjEyODUzODA4MDE3OTc0OTEy\/usatsi_25391253.webp 640w\" type=\"image\/webp\" sizes=\"220px\" \/><source srcset=\"https:\/\/athlonsports.com\/.image\/ar_16:9%2Cc_fill%2Ccs_srgb%2Cg_faces:center%2Cq_auto:good%2Cw_220\/MjEyODUzODA4MDE3OTc0OTEy\/usatsi_25391253.jpg 220w, https:\/\/athlonsports.com\/.image\/ar_16:9%2Cc_fill%2Ccs_srgb%2Cfl_progressive%2Cg_faces:center%2Cq_auto:good%2Cw_320\/MjEyODUzODA4MDE3OTc0OTEy\/usatsi_25391253.jpg 320w, https:\/\/athlonsports.com\/.image\/ar_16:9%2Cc_fill%2Ccs_srgb%2Cfl_progressive%2Cg_faces:center%2Cq_auto:good%2Cw_640\/MjEyODUzODA4MDE3OTc0OTEy\/usatsi_25391253.jpg 640w\" sizes=\"220px\" \/><\/picture><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The\u00a0Los Angeles Dodgers&#8217; 2024 NL MVP and Japanese phenom\u00a0Shohei Ohtani\u00a0is working on returning to the team&#8217;s pitching staff as early as May. Ohtani has already proved he&#8230; <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":26342,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-26341","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-mlb"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v23.8 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Shohei Ohtani flashes promising velocity in return to the mound for Dodgers! - 24\/7 News America<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/usatoday.azontree.com\/?p=26341\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Shohei Ohtani flashes promising velocity in return to the mound for Dodgers! - 24\/7 News America\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"The\u00a0Los Angeles Dodgers&#8217; 2024 NL MVP and Japanese phenom\u00a0Shohei Ohtani\u00a0is working on returning to the team&#8217;s pitching staff as early as May. 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