The Los Angeles Dodgers didn’t break the bank for a designated hitter with a side hustle. They paid for a phenomenon—and now, they need every bit of it. With injuries stacking up like unpaid parking tickets in L.A., Shohei Ohtani isn’t just a luxury anymore—he’s the insurance plan, the headline act, and apparently, the bullpen solution. One inning on the mound was all it took to leave his own teammates questioning reality.
The Dodgers are writing a story with Shohei Ohtani that every other team dreams of writing. They have been on a tear ever since they signed him, and the World Series proves it. But they signed him as a 2-way star and were yet to see that. Until last week, when Ohtani took the mound against the Padres. With the injuries piling up, he took the mound and after just 1 inning, he had his teammates in awe.
In a recent interview with MLB Network, Max Muncy revealed the feeling he and the Dodgers had when Ohtani took the mound. Muncy said, “We’ve all seen, you know, on TV or from the other side, you know, how good of a pitcher he can be… watching him throw an inning, walk off the mound, not even go into the dugout, just put his helmet on and get right into the batter’s box… when you see that firsthand, like on your own team, it’s pretty surreal to realize.”
When Shohei Ohtani returned to the mound, it wasn’t just baseball—it was theater. One Dodger watched him pitch an inning, skip the dugout, and immediately grab a bat. Seeing that in person, not from a TV screen, hit differently. It wasn’t just talent on display—it was something mythical playing out in real time.
When Shohei Ohtani is on the mound, even his teammates are in awe.
: @MLBNetworkRadio pic.twitter.com/serQuhoHPX
— MLB (@MLB) June 22, 2025
The Dodgers already knew Ohtani was elite, but this? This was otherworldly. Switching roles like he’s flipping a light switch, Ohtani made the impossible look routine. Teammates weren’t just impressed—they were awestruck. It’s one thing to respect greatness, another to share a dugout with it.
Injuries have turned the Dodgers’ rotation into a guessing game. They didn’t plan to rush Ohtani, but the situation spoke louder than strategy. With pitchers dropping and options thinning, the two-way star became a lifeline. He’s not just part of the roster—he’s the contingency plan with a cape.
Shohei Ohtani didn’t just return—he redefined what returning looks like. One inning, one helmet, one jaw-dropping transition later, and the Dodgers were spellbound. This isn’t a baseball team with a two-way player; it’s a blockbuster with a superhero in cleats. As the injuries mount and rotations wobble, L.A. doesn’t need prayers—they need Shohei. And lucky for them, he doesn’t believe in intermissions.
Shohei Ohtani is back on the mound. What is he bringing this time?
The Los Angeles Dodgers didn’t sign a unicorn just to trot him out at half strength. Shohei Ohtani is back on the bump, and while the radar gun is still blushing, the innings column might need some warming up. No rehab tour, no easing in quietly—just simulated games and straight to primetime. Because when you’re Ohtani, even a soft launch comes with 100 MPH heat and MVP expectations.
Shohei Ohtani is back on the mound, but the Dodgers aren’t handing him the keys yet. After elbow surgery number two, they’re playing the long game with their prized asset. No minor league pit stops, no extended outings—just one inning here, two innings there. Ohtani is ramping up in the show because sending that bat to Triple-A is a non-starter.
His return outing? Expect two, maybe three innings—enough to tease, not enough to conquer. Last time out, the stuff was pure electricity: 99mph fastballs, nasty sweepers, and adrenaline. But the command wasn’t quite invited to the party, bouncing pitches and missing spots. That’s expected—Tommy John rarely brings command back as a souvenir.
Still, his return is a shot of adrenaline for baseball’s veins. Ohtani pitching again feels like the sport regaining one of its superpowers. A unicorn who can mash and mow down hitters isn’t just rare—it’s mythical. And now, baseball has its myth back in motion.
Ohtani isn’t just dipping a toe—he’s cannonballing into history, one cautious inning at a time. The command will come, the innings will build, and the myth will keep growing. For now, the Dodgers are fine letting the legend simmer. After all, when your pitcher can hit like Babe Ruth, you don’t rush the reboot. Just buckle up—baseball’s most absurd cheat code is updating in real time.
The post Shohei Ohtani’s Pitching Return Leaves Dodgers Teammate Awestruck as Injuries Force Franchise to Rely on Two-Way Star appeared first on EssentiallySports.
