Shohei Ohtani is set to return to being a two-way player in 2025, but when he resumes pitching could be slightly delayed.

After injuring his left shoulder during the World Series and recovering from his second Tommy John surgery, the Dodgers and manager Dave Roberts are going to be conservative when it comes to adding him to the starting rotation.

Ohtani has expressed his desire to pitch when the Dodgers open the season in Tokyo but Roberts says that won’t happen.

“My personal goal is to be fully healthy by the time the opening games do start,” Ohtani told the Associated Press in an exclusive interview. “To be able to pitch and hit would be great, but the situation will kind of guide itself.”

However, in an interview with Sports Hochi, a Japanese newspaper, Roberts said Ohtani won’t pitch until May.

“I’ll persuade him with the help of doctors and trainers,” Roberts added.

Ohtani had a historic year at the plate in 2024, leading the National League with 54 home runs, 130 RBIs, a .390 on-base percentage, and a .646 slugging percentage. He also became the first player in baseball history to record a 50-50 season, stealing 59 bases.

Before a torn elbow ligament ended his 2023 season with the Los Angeles Angels, Ohtani was a dominant force as a pitcher in the American League. He posted a 10-5 record with a 3.14 ERA across 132 innings in 23 starts. That same year, he earned the American League MVP award.

Ohtani has been a standout on the mound, compiling a career record of 38-19 with a 3.01 ERA. Over 481.2 innings, he has recorded 608 strikeouts across 86 starts, all with the Angels. He has not yet pitched for the Dodgers since joining the team prior to the 2024 season.

“It wouldn’t shock me if he went 60/60 and 20 wins a year from now,” Brad Ausmus, who managed the Angels in 2019 during Ohtani’s second season in Anaheim, said recently. “This guy is the greatest athlete to ever play the sport of baseball and there’s not a close second.”

Ohtani is expected to have a better year in 2025 than he did in 2024 which is hard to believe. Roberts already thinks his star player has the National League MVP locked down.

“It’s almost like right now you can lock in the Most Valuable Player in the National League award because no one has that ability or talent,” Roberts said.

“I’m just excited to see what ’25 has for Shohei Ohtani.”