Criticized for disrespecting opponents! Shohei Ohtani's return to the mound for rehabilitation has sparked controversy, and the head coach responded forcefully.

In response to the external criticism regarding Shohei Ohtani's return to the major leagues as part of his "rehabilitation," Los Angeles Dodgers head coach Dave Roberts recently addressed this on Japan's ABEMA program "Good Morning Roberts," supporting the team's approach and stating that the claim of "disrespecting opponents" is unfounded. The Dodgers' stance remains consistent: "We aim to protect Shohei Ohtani while also striving to win."

Since June, Shohei Ohtani has returned to the mound, gradually increasing his pitch count in official games. His comeback game on June 17 against the Padres was regarded by Roberts as the most memorable of the first half of the season. At that time, Ohtani pitched only one inning, allowing two hits and one run. Although the stats weren't impressive, it marked his return to the major leagues as a two-way player since his surgery in September 2023.

However, since Ohtani did not rehabilitate through minor league games like most pitchers but instead went straight to the major leagues, some fans and experts criticized him, claiming this action was "disrespectful to opponents," which sparked controversy.

In response, Roberts firmly stated that Ohtani pitches one to three innings each time to regain his rhythm, and he completely fails to understand what is inappropriate about this. He has indeed made tangible contributions to the team.

He also admitted that it is impossible to please everyone, but the team's policy has always been clear: "Our task is to strive for victory while protecting Ohtani's health."

So far this season, Shohei Ohtani has pitched six games, allowing only two runs over a total of 12 innings, with an ERA of 1.50. He has given up nine hits and recorded 13 strikeouts. Despite the limited number of innings, he has consistently completed his pitching assignments, gradually moving towards a full two-way return.