Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani 'Still A Couple Months Away' from Pitching Return, Roberts Says

Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani is "still a couple months away" from returning to the mound, manager Dave Roberts said on Thursday.

"I know that's still vague, but we're just trying to get to the next step, get to the next step and see where we're at," Roberts said on The Jim Rome Show. "But certainly expect him to pitch for us this year and through the postseason."

Ohtani has not pitched since August of 2023 when he tore his UCL while with the Los Angeles Angels. Roberts was a bit more optimistic about Ohtani's timeline this offseason, saying that he could be back on the mound by May.

After that update from Roberts in February, he said in March that Ohtani's return to the mound is still "a ways off."

Ohtani, who won his third MVP award a season ago, has become so dominant at the plate that it's easy to forget how good he is on the mound. In 2023, he recorded a 3.14 ERA and 1.06 WHIP across 23 starts, picking up a 10-5 record. In 2022, he notched a career-best 2.33 ERA and 1.01 WHIP, going 15-9 with 28 starts and finishing fourth in AL Cy Young voting.

While the Dodgers haven't gotten Ohtani on the mound yet, he's earned his lucrative contract at the plate. He's coming off a season in which he hit .310/.390/.646 with 54 home runs and 130 RBI, adding 59 stolen bases as Los Angeles took home the World Series.

Through 20 games this year, Ohtani has six homers, eight RBI and five stolen bases with a .288 batting average, on pace for another 40-home-run, 40-steal season. The Dodgers are 14-6 on the year, sitting in third place in a competitive NL West.