Dodgers not counting on Ohtani to pitch at the start of next season following left shoulder surgery

AP Baseball Writer

SAN ANTONIO (AP) — The Los Angeles Dodgers aren’t counting on Shohei Ohtani to pitch at the start of next season and will wait to see how his rehabilitation progresses following shoulder surgery on his non-throwing arm.

Ohtani had a procedure Tuesday to repair a torn labrum in his left shoulder, an injury sustained while sliding during a stolen base attempt in Game 2 of the World Series on Oct. 26. The two-way star did not pitch this year while recovering from elbow surgery on Sept. 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,'” general manager Brandon Gomes said Wednesday. “We’re going to let the rehab process play out.”

Ohtani and the Dodgers begin next season in Tokyo, with a two-game series against the Chicago Cubs on March 18 and 19.

After signing a record $700 million, 10-year contract, the 30-year-old Ohtani hit .310 with 54 homers, 130 RBIs and 59 stolen bases this year, becoming the first player with at least 50 homers and 50 stolen bases in a 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 said left-hander Clayton Kershaw had surgery Wednesday but he could not go into details because the three-time Cy Young Award winner was a free agent.

He also said Mookie Betts is likely headed back to the infield next year and the World Series champions would like to reach a new contract with manager Dave Roberts, whose current deal runs through next season.

Ohtani was operated on by head team 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.

Los Angeles expects to have right-handers Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Tony Gonsolin, Dustin May and Tyler Glasnow ready for opening day. Yamamoto was sidelined by right triceps tightness between June 15 and Sept. 10, Glasnow didn’t pitch after Aug. 11 because of right elbow tendinitis, Gonsolin spent all of 2024 recovering from Tommy John surgery, and May didn’t pitch this year following elbow and esophagus operations.

Betts started the season at shortstop, broke his left hand on June 16 when hit by a pitch and moved to right field when he returned on Aug. 12. His shift back to the infield is a product of trying to protect his body and the desire of the 32-year-old, 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.”

Moving Betts from right field would create intrigue over whether Los Angeles might pursue Juan Soto, the top free agent on the market.

If Betts moved back to second base instead of shortstop, the Dodgers would need to find another position for Gavin Lux, who made 117 starts at second this year. Lux returned after missing the 2023 season with a torn ACL and was moved from shortstop after defensive struggles early in spring training.

“Gavin’s been a huge part of our success,” Gomes said.

Roberts started as Dodgers manager for the 2016 season with a three-year contract that included a team option, agreed in December 2018 to a four-year contract and then in March 2022 to his latest deal, which runs through 2025. He has an 851-506 record, leading the Dodgers to a pair of 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 said Friday he was going to have operations on his left big toe and knee. The 36-year-old didn’t make his season debut until July 25 following shoulder surgery and was limited to seven starts, going 2-2 with a 4.50 ERA. He didn’t pitch after Aug. 30 because of the toe injury.

Kershaw on Monday declined a $10 million player option that would have allowed him to earn $15 million in performance bonuses.

“He’s a high priority for us,” Gomes said.

Dodgers officials didn’t arrive at the general managers meetings until 11 a.m. Tuesday because of flight delays. Their flight got canceled on Sunday and then delayed on Monday, when they had a layover in Houston. Their connecting flight was delayed, too.

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