Shohei Ohtani, who transferred to the LA Dodgers, rewrote Major League history in the 2024 season with an overwhelming performance that exceeded all expectations. Despite only appearing as a hitter due to elbow surgery rehabilitation, he joined the unprecedented '50 Home Run-50 Stolen Base' club and won the National League MVP unanimously. Furthermore, he led the Dodgers to victory in the 2024 World Series, successfully achieving both individual and team achievements. Now, in the 2025 season, Ohtani is scheduled to return to the mound as a pitcher, restarting his true 'two-way' play. What changes will this bring to the Dodgers' power? And what impact will his return have on Major League Baseball?
2024 was an unforgettable year for Shohei Ohtani. He recorded an astounding 54 home runs, 59 stolen bases, a batting average of .310, and 130 RBIs while only appearing as a hitter. This is a record achievement, the first in Major League history to achieve the '50 Home Run-50 Stolen Base,' once again proving how unique his hitting talent is. Despite not being able to pitch due to elbow surgery, Ohtani led the team's offense at the plate and played a decisive role in the Dodgers winning the World Series for the first time in four years. This performance earned him his third unanimous MVP title and raised expectations for Ohtani the pitcher for the next season to the highest level among Dodgers fans.
The 2025 season will be the year Shohei Ohtani stands on the mound for the first time wearing a Dodgers uniform. He underwent elbow surgery at the end of 2023 and also had shoulder surgery after the 2024 World Series, but he is expected to participate in spring training. His return as a pitcher is expected to be gradual, and he is expected to begin serious pitching only after May 2025. Manager Dave Roberts has stated that he will carefully manage his pitching innings for his healthy two-way play. FanGraphs.com's statistical system, 'Steamer,' predicted that Ohtani will record a batting average of .280, 43 home runs, 34 stolen bases, and as a pitcher, 9 wins, 6 losses, and an ERA of 3.48 in 2025. This reflects the expectation that he will still maintain a top-tier level of skill in both hitting and pitching.
Ohtani's return as a pitcher will be a great strength for the Dodgers, who struggled with their starting rotation in the 2024 postseason. The Dodgers are considered the biggest winners of the 2025 offseason, building a powerful starting rotation including Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Blake Snell, Tyler Glasnow, and Clayton Kershaw, in addition to Ohtani. By Ohtani's joining on the mound, the Dodgers will have a more solid and deep starting rotation. This will be a great advantage in long-term season operations and in the postseason. His presence is expected to raise the morale of the entire team and have a positive impact on other players, beyond just his individual performance.
Shohei Ohtani's return to two-way play will play a decisive role in the Dodgers' 2025 World Series victory challenge. Having already won the 2024 World Series, the Dodgers have laid the foundation to further solidify their 'Dodgers Dynasty' with Ohtani's complete two-way play. In addition, Ohtani's stardom has a significant impact on the team's popularity and economic impact. His transfer to the Dodgers has already brought about an economic effect worth hundreds of billions of won, and it is expected that the effect will further increase in 2025 when two-way play resumes. It is clear that the eyes of baseball fans around the world will be focused on the Dodgers and Ohtani.
Ohtani showed some disappointing performances at the plate in the 2025 postseason. He recorded a batting average of .147 in 12 games, in contrast to his overwhelming performance during the regular season. However, he played an important role on the mound, winning the first game of the National League Division Series (NLDS). In the 2025 season, it is important to maintain consistent performance throughout the regular season while balancing two-way play. In particular, overcoming the hitting slump in the postseason and playing the role of a solver in big games will be the last puzzle piece in building the Dodgers Dynasty.
Shohei Ohtani's 2025 season will be another important turning point in his career. Following the legendary records he achieved as a hitter in 2024, he will once again show the true two-way player through his return as a pitcher in 2025. The Dodgers have built a powerful team centered around Ohtani and are aiming for their second consecutive World Series victory. If his two-way play successfully settles in, Ohtani will be the core of the Dodgers Dynasty as the best star in Major League Baseball. His 2025 performance will provide unforgettable emotion and excitement to baseball fans.
Q1: Will Shohei Ohtani play two-way in 2025?
A1: Yes, he is scheduled to return to the mound as a pitcher starting in the 2025 season and restart two-way play.
Q2: What were Ohtani's main achievements in the 2024 season?
A2: He recorded 54 home runs, 59 stolen bases, a batting average of .310, and 130 RBIs as a hitter in the 2024 season, joined MLB's first 50-50 club, and won the National League MVP.
Q3: When is Ohtani's return as a pitcher expected?
A3: Due to elbow surgery rehabilitation, he is expected to be on the mound only after May 2025, and pitching innings will be carefully managed.
Q4: How much economic impact has Ohtani's transfer to the Dodgers brought?
A4: Ohtani's transfer to the Dodgers has brought about a huge economic ripple effect worth hundreds of billions of won, and the effect is expected to further increase with the return of two-way play in 2025.
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