Ohtani last pitched in August 2023. He went 38-19 with a 3.01 ERA across 86 starts in six seasons with the Angels. Ohtani finished fourth in AL Cy Young voting in 2022, when he tallied a 15-9 record, 2.33 ERA, and 219 strikeouts.

The decision is partly a matter of comfort, with Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto accustomed to pitching essentially once a week dating back to their time in Japan. It also factored prominently, the Dodgers believe, into their ability to land phenom Roki Sasaki this winter — like his countrymen, Sasaki is used to pitching on a once-per-week schedule.

Fans of the Los Angeles Dodgers can wince in horror at Shohei Ohtani's latest social media update as the MLB star reveals he's still struggling with his elbow and shoulder, months