On Sunday night, the in Los Angeles made the announcement everyone had been waiting for. Shohei Ohtani will be the starting pitcher against the San Diego Padres on Monday night.
More news: ‘ Shohei Ohtani is likely to make a pitching debut and Padres, Dave Roberts says
According to manager Dave Roberts, Otani will act as the opener.
“Shohei is feeling uneasy,” Roberts said Sunday. “He’s ready to pitch in a big league game. I’m guessing my innings will begin.”
Otani hasn’t pitched since August 2023, and the last time he was on the mound was for the Los Angeles Angels. At Flash Forward in 2025, Otani will make his long-awaited pitching debut in Blue on Monday in June.
The remained uncommitted with a solid timeline of two-way stars, but the general consensus was that Otani would take part in the rotation around the All-Star break. Therefore, this announcement is a huge surprise.
Along with Angel, Otani recorded a 3.01 ERA for parts of five seasons, where he served as both a starting pitcher and designated batter. The have a spin-off with three staple food starters, Saga, Tyler Glasnow and Blake Snell.
But Otani’s arrival in the rotation means the defending champions are regaining an ace in the mix.
The slowed Otani’s build-up starting with spring camp and never pushed the two-way star’s return despite countless injuries to the pitching staff.
Otani spent his first season with the as the team’s exclusive designated batter, having one of the most dominant offensive seasons ever. The 2025 campaign will feature Otani returning to his “norm” as both pitcher and DH.
For the pitching staff, Otani’s debut is a huge morale boost after being hampered by injuries for the majority of the season.
For fans, Monday won’t come anytime soon.
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Photo credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Immagn Image
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