Shohei Ohtani to Be Dodgers' Starting Pitcher vs. Padres on Monday After Injury Rehab

Shohei Ohtani will take the mound as a Los Angeles Dodgers for the first time on Monday.

Manager Dave Roberts had said on Sunday that there was a "high possibility" Ohtani could pitch as an opener this week:

Now, the date has been set.

ESPN's Karl Ravech previously reported that "there is a growing feeling among Dodgers that Shohei Ohtani will return to pitching sometime this week" after not pitching for the last season-plus.

Earlier this week, Ohtani threw 44 pitches across three simulated innings at Petco Park in San Diego, a major step towards making his return.

Roberts also hinted at Ohtani's impending return on Saturday, saying that his chances of returning to the mound before the All-Star Game were "north of zero." When asked about Roberts' comments, Ohtani answered "something like that," per The Athletic's Fabian Ardaya.

In the last season that he pitched in 2023, Ohtani had a 3.13 ERA, a 1.06 WHIP and a 10-5 record, helping him earn a second AL MVP. Unfortunately, his season on the mound was cut short as he underwent surgery for a UCL tear in his right elbow in September. Since then, he's been on the road to recovery.

In the meantime, he's been outstanding on offense. After a historic season last year, Ohtani has followed it up with 25 home runs, 41 RBI and a .290 batting average in 69 games.

As productive as he's been as a hitter, Los Angeles is desperate for pitching help. The Dodgers have eight starters on the injured list; Tyler Glasnow, Blake Snell and Rōki Sasaki among them.

Even with all the injuries, Los Angeles has stayed afloat in a tough division. The Dodgers, looking to defend their World Series from a season ago, sit atop the NL West at 42-29.