Jun 20, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani (17) strikes out in the eighth inning against the Washington Nationals at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

Are Shohei Ohtani's Offensive Struggles Because of Return to Pitching? Dodgers Manager Answers

Originally posted on Los Angeles Dodgers on SI
By Nelson Espinal | Last updated Jun 22, 2025 7:00 PM ET

Los Angeles Dodgers two-way star Shohei Ohtani celebrated his return to the mound against the San Diego Padres on Monday, but his hitting has taken a step back.

After not pitching since tearing his UCL in 2023, Ohtani completed his lengthy recovery from Tommy John surgery.

He kept hitting while recovering over the last season, but the rehabilitation ramped up early on this season with several throwing outings.

Ohtani and the Dodgers made the decision that the Japanese star was ready to throw in a big-league game again on Monday, June 17.

In his return, he threw one full inning, giving up a run — more importantly, he threw hard, and the pitches had great movement.

His fastball was in the high 90s, going as high as 100 MPH, with good horizontal movement. Ohtani's command was rough, but that was expected for a player who hadn't pitched in years.

All of Shohei Ohtani's 28 Pitches. pic.twitter.com/rnUURFddhT
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) June 17, 2025

Since getting the pitching monkey off his back, Ohtani is 2-for-19 without scoring a run or getting an extra-base hit.

He was hitting at his all-world level before his return to pitching, prompting people to speculate whether his pitching return affected his hitting.

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts believes it is too early to tell.

"The last week, I think, yeah, he’s been struggling a little bit, chasing a little bit more,” Roberts said.

“I wouldn’t think it’s related to (his return to) pitching. But as we keep going with this process, he keeps pitching. We’ll know more. But I don’t know that answer right now.”

Despite the recent cold stretch, Ohtani is hitting .288/.387/.609 with 25 home runs and 44 RBIs.

During his time with the Angels, he managed to excel on both sides of the plate. It should be only a matter of time before he gets his swing back.

On Sunday, Ohtani went 2-for-5 with a home run, a triple, and five runs batted in. He pitched one inning against the Washington Nationals, earning his first strikeout as a Dodger.

This article first appeared on Los Angeles Dodgers on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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