“This is something he wanted, and it’s the Padres, our division rival”—these words came from none other than Dave Roberts, who couldn’t wait to have Shohei Ohtani back on the mound. He was coming back to the mound after 21 months. Dodgerland was eager to watch this comeback. The expectations were soaring like his homers, but soon they all faded away.
Do you remember the last time Ohtani pitched? Hard to recall, right? It was back on August 23, 2023, and that too for the Angels, before his injury. Not once, but he got injured twice. First, he had Tommy John surgery on his right elbow in 2018. Then, another surgery followed in August 2023 when he tore the UCL in his right elbow. Now that he has fully recovered, the two-way star was finally ready to show off his arm in Dodger blue.
Ohtani’s first time pitching for L.A. saw him toss 28 pitches (16 strikes), allow two hits, and give up an early run on Manny Machado‘s sacrifice fly. He threw his fastball at 100.2 mph, which was much faster than the 95–96 he had planned. But his command seemed rusty. He missed the zone 12 times and almost struck out Machado. Since his swing was ruled checked, there were no strikeouts. And that’s how his pitching debut ended. The reactions? It was a mixed bag: some trolled, while others knew things take time.
Shohei Ohtani’s Dodgers pitching debut is in the books pic.twitter.com/MJxSbuYO6L
— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) June 17, 2025
And the man with the blueprint exactly knows where he went wrong. While talking to the reporters post-game, skipper Roberts didn’t hesitate when asked about Ohtani’s mistake. He said, “Ohtani’s slider was a bit higher, and his fastball missed up, leading to more hits.”
Things were still better in May, when he did a lot of bullpen sessions. These included a 50-pitch stint that was divided between two innings. Then, in early June, Ohtani threw three simulated innings at Petco Park. He tossed about 44 pitches and even mixed some sweeper with his mid-90s fastball. That’s why, when the news of his return to pitching broke, everyone got excited.
However, it was an entirely different picture on Monday. Comebacks usually spark excitement, but this one fell flat. Yes, the Dodgers beat the Padres 6-3, but Ohtani’s return to the mound was quite disappointing. Ohtani may have struggled with his pitching, but he hit a clutch double in the third inning and added an RBI single later on.
The magic moment served as a reality check, and fans didn’t take long to chime in!
Fan reactions: the good, the bad, and the uniquely Shohei Ohtani
As always, the internet was the first place people went to share their thoughts. One comment that resonated with the emotions of many: “no sho tonight .” The Dodgerland had been waiting for nearly two years, and to watch Ohtani throw only one pitch was a little heartbreaking for them.
Every pitch, every effort counts, and that’s exactly what this fan said. “A start is a start.” A simple yet valuable sentiment. Coming back from injury is not a walk in the park. The point was to get back on the bump, feel the rush, and shake off almost two years of rust.
Baseball: MLB, Baseball Herren, USA spring training Los Angeles Dodgers two-way player Shohei Ohtani practices pitching at the team s spring training in Glendale, Arizona, on Feb. 12, 2025. PUBLICATIONxINxAUTxBELxBIHxBULxCZExDENxESTxFINxFRAxGEOxGERxGRExHUNxISLxIRLxITAxLATxLTUxLUXxLIExMKDxNORxPORxPOLxROUxSVKxSUIxSRBxSLOxESPxTURxUKxUAExONLY A14AA0004141943P
Then comes the classic playful jabs. “If you missed it, you didn’t miss anything .” It’s a lighthearted poke at the amount of hype surrounding the debut, implying that maybe the buildup was too much for the actual pitching on the field.
Want to learn the art of blending in? Contact MLB fans! “Fans still stuck in traffic and his night on the mound is done .” It’s a sarcastic jab at the famous LA traffic, something Dodger fans often complain about; they haven’t missed much.
When talking about Ohtani, the financial aspect inevitably comes up. “Dodgers and MLB hype up his return, which results in ticket prices skyrocketing. All that for him to go one inning…… I know if I bought a ticket I’d be mad as hell. ” Just when the Dodgers announced Ohtani’s comeback on the mound, the ticket price went up. No, those pitching numbers are not justifying the hype.
This wasn’t a failure; it was a measured achievement, one inning at a time. Roberts set the scene, Gomes directed the show, and Ohtani composed the first verse. Dodgerland, buckle up. This is just the first chapter.
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