Shohei Ohtani was so good as a hitter last season, baseball fans forgot that he was missing the other half of his game. The reigning NL MVP will make his return to the mound on Monday night, starting for the Dodgers as an opener versus the Padres.

The Los Angeles Dodgers intend to be very deliberate with Shohei Ohtani's return to pitching duties. The team announced the two-way star will take the bump Monday against the San Diego Padres, but ESPN's Alden Gonzalez reported he's likely to only throw one or two innings "in what will basically amount to a continuation of his rehab.

It’s been quite the roller coaster for Shohei Ohtani as he works his way back to the mound for the Los Angeles Dodgers. Ohtani has not pitched in nearly two years, and the expectation is that he will return sometime before or shortly after the All-Star break.