Shohei Ohtani impressed everyone in his first year with the Los Angeles Dodgers. The Japanese star wow-ed fans with his superb hitting and incredible base running.

That being said… it’s no exaggeration to say that Ohtani isn’t running at full power yet. What truly makes Ohtani great is his ability to both hit AND pitch at a high level. The Dodgers were never able to use this power, as Ohtani was recovering from Tommy John surgery last season.

Next season, though, fans are looking forward to watching Ohtani pitch. Unfortunately, Dodger fans will have to wait a while before Ohtani takes the mound. After undergoing shoulder surgery for a torn labrum, Ohtani’s pitching debut will likely be delayed, per Bob Nightengale.

“It’s highly unlikely now that Shohei Ohtani will be able to pitch in their 2-game series in Tokyo against the Chicago Cubs in March after undergoing surgery for his torn labrum on his left shoulder, but the Dodgers still are optimistic he’ll be pitching again in April,” Nightengale reported. Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani running the bases during a October 18 game against the New York Mets.

Brad Penner-Imagn Images Brad Penner-Imagn Images Ohtani suffered an elbow injury during the 2023 season when he was with the Los Angeles Angels.

While the injury and subsequent surgery prevented him from pitching, he was still cleared to play as a designated hitter.

Clearly, the elbow injury did not affect his performance on the plate. Ohtani became the first player to hit 50 homers and 50 stolen bases in a season with the Dodgers, en route to potentially another MVP season. He led Los Angeles to a World Series title, their first since 2020.