Ohtani named NL Pitcher of the Month for March/April

Major League Baseball announced that Shohei Ohtani, 31, has been selected as the National League Pitcher of the Month for March/April, marking his first monthly honor on the mound and adding a fresh chapter to Japan’s most celebrated baseball story. While Ohtani has previously collected six monthly awards as a hitter, this is his debut Pitcher of the Month accolade—an emphatic statement that his post-surgery return to full two-way form is more than hype. He becomes the sixth Japanese pitcher to win a monthly pitching award (ninth total award), following Hideo Nomo, Hideki Irabu, Masahiro Tanaka, Yu Darvish, and most recently his Dodgers teammate Yoshinobu Yamamoto.

A historic start on the mound

Ohtani’s opening month was nothing short of elite: across five starts he went 2–1 with a microscopic 0.60 ERA. He allowed no home runs and became, according to MLB tracking, the first pitcher to begin a season with five consecutive outings meeting all of the following: at least six innings pitched, five or fewer hits allowed, one earned run or fewer, and zero home runs surrendered. From his second outing onward, he touched 100 mph in four straight starts, underscoring both velocity and command. Though he finished April one inning shy of the traditional “qualified” innings threshold (equal to the team’s games played), voters rightly recognized the dominance on display.

Two-way balance after elbow surgery

Ohtani’s journey back to full two-way status has been carefully staged. He underwent right elbow surgery in September 2023—his second major elbow procedure—and did not pitch in 2024 while continuing to hit. He eased back to the mound in June 2025, and this year marks his first season since 2023 to open in the starting rotation from Day 1. As a hitter through the end of April, Ohtani logged 29 games with a .273 average (30-for-110), six home runs, 13 RBIs, and four steals—a relatively measured start by his towering standards. The story of the spring, however, is his pitching: power, precision, and poise suggest a sustainable platform for a full-season push.

Japan’s pride, MLB’s headline—and the Cy Young question

No Japanese pitcher has ever won the Cy Young Award, MLB’s highest honor for pitchers. Ohtani’s March/April surge instantly places him among the early frontrunners. The race is crowded: last season’s standout Paul Skenes (Pirates), the electric Jacob Misiorowski (Brewers), veteran ace Chris Sale (Braves), and compatriot Yoshinobu Yamamoto (Dodgers) all loom large. But Ohtani’s combination of swing-and-miss stuff, home run suppression, and durability indicators through the first month gives him a head start—one that energizes fans across Japan and the global Japanese community. For Japan, a Cy Young breakthrough would be a landmark moment, deepening the nation’s influence on the world’s premier baseball stage.

Why this matters beyond the box score

Ohtani’s success continues to elevate Japan’s global profile in sport, culture, and tourism. His performances drive late-night viewing parties in Tokyo and Osaka, inspire youth baseball participation from Hokkaido to Kyushu, and connect overseas Japanese communities and Japan fans from Los Angeles to London. For expats and Japan-curious readers, his story blends athletic excellence with the nation’s values of craftsmanship, resilience, and humility—soft power that translates into growing interest in studying, working, or traveling in Japan. Each dominant start is more than a stat line; it is a calling card for “Made in Japan” excellence.

What to watch next

As the season settles, keep an eye on Ohtani’s workload management, his ability to maintain triple-digit velocity deep into games, and whether he crosses the innings threshold to lead the league leaderboards officially. If the early command and contact suppression hold, he will not only keep Japan at the heart of MLB’s biggest storyline but also turn the long-elusive Cy Young dream into a genuine, week-to-week chase. For now, March/April belongs to Ohtani—the month he proved, again, that Japan’s brightest baseball star can redefine the possible.