For months, Dodgers fans had been dreaming of this moment. Shohei Ohtani, the two-way superstar, stepped back onto the mound for the first time in nearly two years. And he didn’t disappoint. In his long-awaited return, Ohtani delivered 29 electrifying pitches, one of which clocked in at a jaw-dropping 100.2 mph, surpassing even his velocity targets.

Even though he couldn’t strike out anyone, the focus quickly shifted to his next outing. Well, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts finally addressed the situation and clarified what’s next for the Japanese sensation.

“Here are the Dodger probables for the Nationals series: Friday – Clayton Kershaw, Saturday – Dustin May, Sunday – Shohei Ohtani.” The official X handle of the Dodgers shared the timeline.

While Ohtani won’t pitch in the next game against the Padres, we might see him in the series against the Nationals. Roberts further added that “there is no hard and fast rule to wait seven days between each pitch.” So, it will take Ohtani to come back to his best when it comes to pitching. And the team would gradually increase his workload.

Emmet Sheehan and Justin Wrobleski offered a strong pitching figure against the Padres. They respectively got 6 SOs and 3 SOs, restricting the Padres to 3 runs. When asked if Roberts expects the same strong pitching the Dodgers showed against the Padres tonight, he responded positively. “So yes, Dustin’s going to go so Yama tomorrow, and then Dustin will go on or Clay will go on Friday, and then Dustin will go on Saturday, and then Sho’s going to pitch on Sunday. So that’s kind of how we’re going to do it.”

He shared a timeline where Dustin May, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, and Clayton Kershaw would pitch this week before Ohtani. Enough for the two-way star to see and deliver what the team is expecting. Plus, the team plans to place Ohtani on the mound with a gap to get the best out of him. With that, we might expect a lower risk factor for Ohtani.

Well, Shohei Ohtani’s road to recovery isn’t just about getting his arm back in shape. It’s been just as much a mental journey. After nearly two years away from pitching due to injuries, he’s had to work through not only the physical rehab but also the mental pressure of stepping back into one of the game’s most high-stakes roles.

No wonder the Dodgers are taking things slow and steady…

The Dodgers’ seamless quest towards consecutive World Series wins

Despite the injuries to the starting pitchers like Blake Snell and Tyler Glasnow, the Dodgers are proceeding seamlessly this season. And with such a move, a postseason might just be confirmed, if not the World Series.

The Dodgers are showing no signs of slowing down as they continue to lead the NL West with a strong 46-29 record. Moreover, they’ve built a solid 4.5-game cushion over division rivals like the Giants (41-33) and Padres (39-34), thanks to an explosive offense that’s dominating across the board.

Right now, the Dodgers are the top-scoring team in all of baseball, averaging 5.6 runs and 9.1 hits per game. They’re hitting a collective .265 with an OPS of .801. And they’ve also launched the most home runs of any team so far this season.

While it is now certain that this Dodgers lineup is firing on all cylinders, guess who’s leading the race? Shohei Ohtani…

Averaging .292 and 25 HRs, Ohtani is doing what he does best. Yes, it would take time for him to deliver his best at the mound, but at the batter’s box? It’s the same old Japanese sensation.

And now that Ohtani has returned to his two-way role, it has been a major boost for the Dodgers’ offense, and his contributions have helped keep them firmly in control of the NL West race. Probably, next time, we get to see an SO as well…