The Los Angeles Dodgers are not expecting Shohei Ohtani to pitch at the start of next season and will wait to see how his recovery goes after having shoulder surgery on his non-throwing arm.
Ohtani had the surgery on Tuesday to fix a torn labrum in his left shoulder, an injury he suffered while sliding during a stolen base attempt in Game 2 of the World Series on October 26. This year, Ohtani didn’t pitch while recovering from elbow surgery he had on September 19, 2023.
“We’re going to take it piece by piece and get through this and then take it in one-, two-week chunks and make sure that we’re in a really good place on each of those benchmarks and then go from there and not try to say, ‘Hey, we need to be ready by this day,’” said general manager Brandon Gomes on Wednesday. “We’re going to let the rehab process play out.”
Ohtani and the Dodgers will start next season in Tokyo, where they’ll play a two-game series against the Chicago Cubs on March 18 and 19.
After signing a historic $700 million, 10-year contract, the 30-year-old Ohtani had a standout year, hitting .310 with 54 home runs, 130 RBIs, and 59 stolen bases. He became the first player to hit at least 50 homers and steal 50 bases in a single season.
“I think it’s safe that he will not steal 50 bases next year,” Gomes said. “I have a hunch. I don’t want to count it out because I don’t ever bet against Shohei.”
Gomes also mentioned that left-handed pitcher Clayton Kershaw had surgery on Wednesday, but he could not provide more details since Kershaw is a free agent.
He added that Mookie Betts is likely to return to the infield next year, and the Dodgers hope to reach a new contract agreement with manager Dave Roberts, whose current deal runs through next season.
Ohtani’s surgery was performed by the team’s head physician, Dr. Neal ElAttrache.
“The rehab stages have different lower-intensity exercises and may just be movement,” Gomes said. “Our trainers and performance coaches and doctors are all in lockstep on that and we’ll be with him along the way.”
Ohtani has stopped his throwing program. “He probably would have stopped throwing anyway with the offseason, but he needs to recover from this and then get that back up,” Gomes said.
The Los Angeles Dodgers expect to have right-handed pitchers Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Tony Gonsolin, Dustin May, and Tyler Glasnow ready for opening day.
Yamamoto missed time due to right triceps tightness from June 15 to September 10, Glasnow was sidelined after August 11 because of right elbow tendinitis, Gonsolin spent all of 2024 recovering from Tommy John surgery, and May didn’t pitch this year after undergoing elbow and esophagus surgeries.
Betts started the season at shortstop but broke his left hand on June 16 after being hit by a pitch. After returning on August 12, he moved to right field. His return to the infield next season is partly to help protect his body, and also because of his own preference, according to Gomes. Betts, 32, is an eight-time All-Star.
“That’s not set in stone but I think just the toll of the outfield and I think it’s really hard on guys bouncing back and forth,” Gomes said. “We’ll have those more in-depth conversations soon and get some clarity on it.”
If Betts moves back to the infield, the Dodgers may consider pursuing Juan Soto, the top free agent available.
If Betts moves to second base instead of shortstop, the team will need to find a new position for Gavin Lux, who played 117 games at second base this year.
Lux made his return after missing the 2023 season due to a torn ACL and had been moved from shortstop after struggling defensively in spring training. “Gavin’s been a huge part of our success,” Gomes said.
Roberts became the Dodgers’ manager in 2016 with a three-year contract that included a team option. He agreed to a four-year deal in December 2018 and another contract extension in March 2022, which runs through 2025.
He has an 851-506 record, leading the Dodgers to two World Series titles and four NL pennants.
“We want Dave here as long as we can see out and we’ve had success with doing extensions in the past with him,” Gomes said. “We expect at some point this offseason talking through that.”
Kershaw announced on Friday that he would have surgery on his left big toe and knee. The 36-year-old didn’t make his season debut until July 25 following shoulder surgery and made only seven starts, going 2-2 with a 4.50 ERA. He didn’t pitch after August 30 because of the toe injury.
Kershaw declined a $10 million player option on Monday, which would have allowed him to earn up to $15 million in performance bonuses. “He’s a high priority for us,” Gomes said.
The Dodgers’ front office team arrived at the general managers’ meetings at 11 a.m. Tuesday after their flight was delayed. Their flight was canceled on Sunday, delayed on Monday, and their connecting flight was also delayed.
