Shohei Ohtani Targets Cy Young
Shohei Ohtani's first spring as a Dodger is making headlines with the two-way superstar aiming for a Cy Young-caliber season. His performance on the mound at spring training has impressed coaches, with many speculating he could emerge as a dominant force in the Dodgers' pitching rotation.
This isn't Ohtani's first brush with the league's top pitching award; he finished fourth in the American League Cy Young voting in 2022 while with the Angels. That season, he posted a 2.33 ERA and struck out 219 batters. His return to the mound follows a second major elbow surgery in September 2023, a hybrid procedure performed by Dodgers team physician Dr. Neal ElAttrache to repair his ulnar collateral ligament (UCL). The operation was an advancement on traditional Tommy John surgery, designed to reinforce the ligament and promote longevity. Ohtani did not pitch during the 2024 season, focusing exclusively on his role as a designated hitter while recovering. Historically, very few MLB pitchers have undergone two UCL reconstructions and returned to form, presenting a significant challenge for the two-way star. In his last full season as a pitcher in 2023, Ohtani compiled a 10-5 record with a 3.14 ERA, striking out 167 batters over 132 innings and holding opponents to a .184 batting average. He joins a formidable Dodgers staff that manager Dave Roberts plans to deploy in a six-man rotation. Ohtani is expected to be a frontline anchor alongside stars like Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Tyler Glasnow, a strategy intended to manage workloads and maximize effectiveness.
