After seven seasons, Shohei Ohtani is finally a World Series champion.

For years it seemed impossible to make such a statement. The Japanese supernova earned countless accolades while hitting and pitching for the Angels. But one piece of hardware eluded him: the vaunted Commissioner’s Trophy.

Not only did Ohtani fail to capture the World Series crown, he also wasn’t all that close. During Ohtani’s six-year tenure with the franchise, the Halos never qualified for the postseason. Compared to other standouts like Aaron Judge, Bryce Harper, Juan Soto and Mookie Betts, Ohtani couldn’t keep up.

Until he did. The two-way talent joined the Dodgers ahead of the 2024 season and put together arguably the greatest power-speed season in MLB history. These heroics helped propel Los Angeles to Fall Classic glory – even if Ohtani wasn’t particularly effective during the World Series itself.

Ohtani enters the 2025 offseason as a World Series winner, that much is true, but if he and the Dodgers want to keep their place at the top of the throne in 2025 and beyond, there’s a lot to explore under the hood.

SN’s MLB Headquarters: Live MLB Scores | Updated MLB Rankings | Complete MLB schedule

Here’s what you need to know about Ohtani’s planned itinerary ahead of what promises to be an off-season like no other.

What’s next for Shohei Ohtani?

Ohtani has been dealing with the torn UCL injury he suffered last August and has therefore opted out of pitching for the entire 2024 season.

A return to the mound during the postseason enticed fans and pundits alike, but was summarily rebuffed before the World Series. Both Dodgers brass and Ohtani’s doctors insisted that the 30-year-old should wait until next season to return to the mound.

“The ultimate plan after consulting with Shohei was to correct the problem at hand and strengthen the healthy ligament in place while adding viable tissue for elbow longevity,” said Dr. Dr. Neal ElAttrache, the man who operated on Ohtani, said Ohtani’s agent in a statement last year. “I expect a full recovery and he will be ready to play without restrictions on Opening Day in 2024 and (hit and pitch) in 2025.”

To that end, Ohtani appears to be on track to break into Los Angeles’ pitching rotation in 2025. In May, Ohtani began throwing from 60 feet away and began hitting the weapon at 80 miles per hour, according to an ESPN report.

Three months later, Ohtani left the mound for the first time since elbow surgery nearly a year ago. He participated in additional bullpen sessions as the regular season reached its peak, seemingly foreshadowing a move back to pitcher in 2025.

Ohtani’s elbow isn’t the only thing that needs attention before the 2025 season. He suffered a shoulder subluxation in his left shoulder while attempting to hit second base in the seventh inning of Game 2 of the World Series.

The problem – a partial shoulder dislocation – wasn’t enough to keep him out of the lineup for Games 3 and 4. Ohtani revealed that the pain in his left shoulder had subsided significantly before the Dodgers’ Game 3 win.

MORE: Shohei Ohtani shoulder subluxation injury explanation and recovery time

However, you should definitely keep an eye on the injury. Roberts called the issue a “minor” subluxation of Ohtani’s left shoulder after the end of Game 2. Before Game 3, Roberts noted that Ohtani was “in a great spot.” He went on to go 0-3.

Former NFL team doctor David Chao claimed that Ohtani may need surgery on the injury, depending on the severity of his wound – and whether it causes structural damage to Ohtani’s shoulder.

Ohtani’s shoulder injury is somewhat unknown at this point. However, the fact that he played in the last two games of the Fall Classic despite the issue seems to be a good sign. Ohtani will likely be on the road to recovery this offseason, trying to avoid aggravating the damage from the shoulder subluxation. The timeline for full recovery from a shoulder subluxation is weeks to months, depending on whether the problem caused structural shoulder damage. That should be enough time for Ohtani to lick his wounds until 2025.