Shohei Ohtani, recovering from major elbow surgery, took to the mound for the first time with the Los Angeles Dodgers during spring training. He threw 14 fastballs, clocking between 92-94 mph, indicating that he is on track for a return to the rotation in May. Ohtani was limited to designated hitting duties in 2024 due to his recovery but still won the NL MVP, contributing to the Dodgers’ World Series championship.

“I think we’re doing a good job of … breaking up the hitting versus the pitching, the workload,” said Dodgers manager Dave Roberts. “But I think we all feel good because he’s done it and he’s had success doing it.”

Despite challenges ahead, Ohtani aims to be a two-way player once more, balancing pitching with his offensive role.