After seven seasons, Shohei Ohtani is finally a World Series champion.
For years, such a statement seemed impossible to utter. The Japanese supernova garnered endless accolades while slugging and pitching for the Angels. But one piece of hardware eluded him: the vaunted Commissioner's Trophy.
Not only did Ohtani fall short of wearing a World Series crown, he wasn't all that close. The Halos never qualified for postseason play during Ohtani's six-year tenure with the franchise. Compared to other standout contemporaries like Aaron Judge, Bryce Harper, Juan Soto, and Mookie Betts, Ohtani didn't measure up.
Until he did. The two-way talent joined the Dodgers ahead of the 2024 season and proceeded to craft arguably the greatest power-speed season in MLB history. Those exploits helped guide Los Angeles to Fall Classic glory — even if Ohtani wasn't all that effective during the World Series itself.
Ohtani enters the 2025 offseason as a World Series winner, that much is true, but if he and the Dodgers want to keep their spot atop the throne in 2025 and beyond, there's plenty to figure out beneath the hood.
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With that, here's what you need to know about Ohtani's projected itinerary ahead of what promises to be an offseason like no other.
What's next for Shohei Ohtani?
Ohtani has been tending to the torn UCL injury he suffered last August, opting against pitching for the whole 2024 season as a result.
A return to the mound during the postseason enticed fans and pundits alike, but it was summarily dismissed ahead of the World Series. Dodgers brass and Ohtani's doctors alike insisted on the 30-year-old waiting until next season to make his return to the hill.
"The ultimate plan after deliberation with Shohei, was to repair the issue at hand and to reinforce the healthy ligament in place while adding viable tissue for the longevity of the elbow," Dr. Dr. Neal ElAttrache, the man who performed surgery on Ohtani, said in a statement through Ohtani's agent last year. "I expect full recovery, and he’ll be ready to hit without any restrictions come opening day of 2024 and [hit and pitch] come 2025.”
To that end, Ohtani appears right on pace to slide into Los Angeles' pitching rotation in 2025. In May, Ohtani began throwing from 60 feet out and was starting to hit 80 miles per hour on the gun, according to an ESPN report.
Three months later, Ohtani from the mound for the first time since undergoing elbow surgery nearly a year prior. He took part in more bullpen sessions as the regular season reached its crescendo, seemingly foreshadowing a move back to pitcher in 2025.
Ohtani's elbow isn't the only thing that will require maintenance ahead of the 2025 campaign. He suffered a shoulder subluxation in his left shoulder while attempting to swipe second base in the seventh inning of Game 2 of the World Series.
The issue —a partial dislocation of the shoulder— wasn't enough to keep him out of the lineup for Games 3 and 4. Ohtani revealed that the pain in his left shoulder had greatly subsided prior to the Dodgers' Game 3 win.
MORE: Explaining Shohei Ohtani's shoulder subluxation injury, recovery time
Nevertheless, the injury is certainly one to keep an eye on. Roberts called the issue a "little" subluxation of Ohtani's left shoulder following the conclusion of Game 2. Ahead of Game 3, Roberts remarked that Ohtani was "in a great spot." He proceeded to go 0-for-3.
Former NFL team doctor David Chao claimed that Ohtani could potentially need surgery on the injury, depending on the severity of his wound — and whether it causes any structural damage to Ohtani's shoulder.
Ohtani's shoulder injury is a bit of an unknown at the moment. However, the fact that he participated in the Fall Classic's final two games despite the issue appears to be a good sign. Ohtani will likely be on the mend throughout the offseason, looking to avoid exacerbating the damage of the shoulder subluxation. The timetable for full recovery from a shoulder subluxation is weeks to months depending on whether the issue caused structural shoulder damage. That should be enough time for Ohtani to lick his wounds ahead of 2025.
