Shohei Ohtani is reportedly on the verge of returning to the pitcher’s mound for the Los Angeles Dodgers this Sunday, but trust me, it’s not a traditional comeback story. This dude is throwing a bullpen session on Friday and if that goes well, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts says he could start Sunday against the Detroit Tigers. Here’s the kicker: Ohtani will only throw one inning as an opener. Just one!
Baby Steps or Risky Business?
Are they serious? One inning? Tyler Glasnow is still scheduled to pitch Sunday too, after just returning from back spasms on Tuesday. If Ohtani takes the mound, Glasnow becomes the “bulk guy” behind him. If Ohtani isn’t ready to go, Glasnow just makes a traditional start. This is what they’re calling “baby steps” for Ohtani, a similar approach to his return from internal brace surgery last year. But for a single inning, on the big league stage? That feels less like baby steps and more like a high-wire act for their biggest star.
The Injury, The MVP Race, and a Major League Rehab
Ohtani hasn’t pitched since July 3, sidelined by a knee issue that also caused a minor problem with his biceps. Yet, even with all that, he’s been playing almost every single day as their designated hitter. And get this: he’s still absolutely locked in a race for NL MVP with Chicago Cubs outfielder Pete Crow-Armstrong. The guy is a force, even on one leg, hitting like there’s no tomorrow! Most players who miss nearly two months of pitching would be doing a rehab assignment in the minors. Not Ohtani. The Dodgers are flat-out declining that option. Why? Because taking their “most important bat” out of the lineup is a non-starter for them. So, Ohtani’s rehab? It’s happening in the majors. Building up from a potential one-inning start. He actually did something similar last year after a longer, more significant injury, throwing one inning in his first two starts, then two in his next two, three in his next three, and about four over his next three outings. That entire timeline took more than two months.
The Clock Is Screaming for October
And here’s the absolute biggest problem for the Dodgers: they don’t *have* two months this time around. The playoffs are only five weeks away! It’s still pretty fuzzy how Ohtani figures into their planned postseason rotation, especially since they already have a nasty starting quartet with Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Tarik Skubal, Blake Snell, and Glasnow. That’s some serious firepower right there, but the team’s priority is crystal clear: they want a fully functional Ohtani ready for October. This whole one-inning opener strategy? It screams “postseason plan.” They’re playing the long game, even with the clock ticking down. Everyone’s watching that bullpen session Friday and, if everything goes according to plan, Sunday’s wild one-inning appearance against the Tigers with bated breath. This isn’t just a comeback; it’s a high-stakes gamble on their biggest star for a deep postseason run, and it’s happening right now.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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