Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani Thinks Elbow Injury Rehab Will Be 'Easier the 2nd Time Around'

Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Shohei Ohtani thinks his experience undergoing elbow surgery in 2018 will help accelerate his ongoing recovery from the procedure he underwent in September 2023.

"This is not my first time doing this, rehabbing while getting ready for the season," Ohtani told reporters Friday, per MLB.com's Juan Toribio. "I did this back in '19, so I kind of know how to do it and I feel like it'll be easier the second time around."

Ohtani's first elbow surgery followed his rookie season with the Los Angeles Angels in 2018.

Although Ohtani missed almost two full pitching seasons following his 2018 surgery, he returned at full strength in 2021 with an AL MVP campaign for the Angels.

After undergoing Tommy John surgery on Oct. 1, 2018, it took Ohtani seven months to recover. He returned as designated hitter for the Angels in early May, having missed the team's first 34 games of the season.

Ohtani expects to be on a different trajectory with the Dodgers due to the nature of his surgery, which his agent has said was different than traditional UCL replacement involved in Tommy John surgery. He also told reporters his recovery in 2018 taught him how to balance rehabilitating both his pitching and hitting at the same time.

Although Ohtani won't be pitching until 2025, the two-way star has indicated he doesn't expect to miss any time as the Dodgers' designated hitter at the start of the 2024 season.

Ohtani said on Feb. 3 at the Dodgers' Fan Fest that he is "very confident" he will be healthy to start the season, per ESPN's Alden Gonzalez. He will be hitting third, according to Dodgers manager Dave Roberts.

The Dodgers pitcher began his recovery by hitting underhand flips and balls off of tees, according to Gonzalez.

Ohtani said Friday he is now swinging with close to 100 percent effort, and that the next step will be to hit balls thrown by live pitchers or machines, according to the Los Angeles Times' Jack Harris.

That recovery timeline, which appears to be going more quickly than Ohtani's rehab in 2018, is good news for a team that committed a record-breaking $700 million to sign the two-time MVP in free agency.