SAN ANTONIO — If you’re planning to purchase tickets for the Dodgers’ season-opening games in Tokyo next March, don’t expect to see Shohei Ohtani on the mound.
While the Dodgers’ star is anticipated to be part of the lineup for the start of the 2025 season—beginning with two games against the Chicago Cubs at the Tokyo Dome—his return to pitching was already in question following his Tommy John revision surgery last year.
This week, it was announced that Ohtani requires labrum surgery on his left shoulder due to a dislocated shoulder he sustained during the World Series.
Fortunately, the surgery is on his non-throwing arm, and general manager Brandon Gomes stated that it shouldn’t significantly affect his ability to pitch next year.
However, this adds another layer of complexity to the 30-year-old’s offseason throwing regimen and will likely delay his timeline for rejoining the Dodgers’ starting rotation.
“We’ll see how he progresses through this phase and take it step by step, as it’s complicated with someone who also hits,” Gomes said on Wednesday at Major League Baseball’s general managers meetings. “We want to ensure we’re addressing every aspect to keep him in the best health possible. The outcomes will be determined by that careful and methodical approach.”
Ohtani’s likelihood of being part of the Dodgers’ opening-day rotation was already diminished during the playoffs when he and the team opted to postpone the completion of his pitching rehabilitation until after the postseason.
As October approached, Ohtani was almost ready to face hitters for the first time since undergoing elbow surgery in September 2023. By that time, he had made significant progress in his regular-season throwing program and was consistently throwing bullpen sessions.
However, cautious about overexerting Ohtani during his first MLB postseason, he and the team decided to postpone facing hitters until winter. Now, his recovery from labrum surgery has complicated those plans further.
“I think we’ll approach this step by step and see how it goes … without setting a specific deadline for readiness,” said Gomes. While he didn’t completely rule out the possibility of Ohtani pitching by opening day, he did not express optimism about it either. “We’re going to let the rehabilitation process unfold.”
Details about Ohtani’s recovery remain unclear. However, in an interview with The Times on Wednesday, orthopedic surgeon Dr. Paul Rothenberg, who specializes in sports medicine and shoulder surgery at Optum Orthopedic Institute, provided insights into the typical rehabilitation process for labrum surgeries.
Initially, patients undergo a period of “immobilization” lasting about four weeks, during which the shoulder is subject to only “very controlled movement” and is often kept in a sling.
“Early recovery involves maintaining range of motion, managing inflammation and pain, and doing so in a controlled, specific manner,” Rothenberg explained, advising against running during this recovery phase to avoid putting unnecessary stress on the surgical site.
After this initial phase, rehabilitation focuses on restoring full range of motion in the shoulder. By the 10 to 12-week mark, strengthening exercises can begin.
Rothenberg characterized Ohtani’s situation as a “decent situation” since the injury was not to his throwing arm. If it had been his right shoulder, he might have faced a four to six-month recovery before being able to throw again.
“That would have been really bad,” Rothenberg noted, “especially since he has already undergone elbow surgery.”
Given the necessity to safeguard the shoulder during the early stages of recovery, Gomes acknowledged that the team’s initial pitching plan for Ohtani this offseason “will look a bit different now.”
However, Gomes emphasized that there are no significant long-term concerns regarding Ohtani’s health.
A delayed start to Ohtani’s 2025 season as a pitcher may not have substantial long-term implications either. Following his elbow surgery, the likely soon-to-be three-time MVP was expected to have a limited workload next year regardless. While Gomes did not provide a specific innings limit on Wednesday, he mentioned that the club’s main priority is ensuring Ohtani is “at his peak come the biggest games of the year” next October.
In the meantime, the Dodgers hope that Ohtani’s performance at the plate won’t be affected, as his injury occurred to the back shoulder during a slide into second base in the World Series.
“It’s far less concerning in terms of how violent that could be compared to if it were the other shoulder,” Gomes said.
Rothenberg concurred with this assessment.
“For him, it’s fortunate that it’s the top hand and not the one that might be impacted when flinging the bat over the shoulder during the follow-through of a swing, which could aggravate a torn anterior labrum,” Rothenberg explained. “Since he’s a left-handed batter and the injury is to his left arm, he should retain the necessary range of motion to perform that action without significant stress on the surgical site. In my opinion, he should be fine.”
