‘I’m Back’ — But Why Is Shohei Ohtani Still Not Happy After His Big Return?

It was the moment baseball fans across the globe had been waiting for. The lights were bright. The buzz was electric. And Shohei Ohtani, the two-way phenom who had taken Major League Baseball by storm, finally stood back on the mound. The crowd roared. The world watched. And after months of speculation, surgery, and silence, Ohtani simply said: “I’m back.”

But beneath that powerful declaration, something was missing. A shadow lingered behind his smile, a tension in his posture, a weight in his words. Even as he made his long-awaited return for the Los Angeles Dodgers, something about Shohei Ohtani’s demeanor suggested that all was not well. Despite the applause, the stats, and the coverage, one question echoed through the ballpark and across social media:

Why isn’t Shohei Ohtani happy?

The Road Back: A Warrior’s Journey

To understand the significance of Ohtani’s return—and his strange emotional distance—we have to look back at the ordeal he’s endured. After an electrifying 2023 season with the Los Angeles Angels, in which he led the league in slugging while simultaneously baffling batters as a pitcher, Ohtani’s arm gave out. A torn UCL (ulnar collateral ligament) ended his season and cast a massive cloud over his future.

Surgery followed. Rumors swirled. Would he still be able to pitch? Would he stay in MLB or return to Japan? Would any team dare to sign him to a long-term deal with such uncertainty hanging over his career?

But then came the Dodgers deal—a massive contract that sent shockwaves across sports media. $700 million over 10 years, an unprecedented figure, deferred in creative ways to give the team financial flexibility. It wasn’t just a contract—it was a statement of faith. The Dodgers believed in Shohei Ohtani.

So when he finally took the mound in June 2025, in a carefully managed pitching debut, fans expected a triumphant, cinematic return. What they got was a solid performance—not spectacular, but promising. Yet it was Ohtani’s postgame interview that truly stole the spotlight.

“I’m Back”— But Not Like Before

When asked how it felt to pitch again, Ohtani’s response was subdued. “It felt good… but I’m not quite happy,” he said quietly through his interpreter. “There’s still a lot I need to fix. This isn’t the level I want to be at.”

It wasn’t what fans expected to hear. After all, Ohtani had gone five innings, allowing just two hits and one run, striking out six. For any other pitcher returning from surgery, this would have been a dream comeback. But for Ohtani, it wasn’t enough. His standards are otherworldly, and anything short of excellence seems to leave him unsatisfied.

But is that all? Is it just perfectionism? Or is something deeper troubling baseball’s brightest star?

Pressure Beyond Measure: The Weight of a Legend

Few athletes in modern history have carried the kind of global pressure that Shohei Ohtani does. He is not just a player. He is a symbol—for Japanese baseball, for two-way athletes, for the global MLB market, for the future of the sport itself.

When he succeeds, millions celebrate. But when he stumbles, even slightly, the world watches closely.

This level of scrutiny—compounded by historic expectations—is not something any athlete can navigate without consequence. Ohtani rarely shows vulnerability in public, but those close to him have hinted that the weight of expectation often isolates him.

“He pushes himself harder than anyone I’ve ever seen,” said a Dodgers staff member anonymously. “He’s his own harshest critic. Even on his best days, he walks away thinking of the one pitch he missed.”

And therein lies part of the answer. Ohtani is chasing a vision—not just of greatness, but of transcendence. And when you aim that high, the bar never stops rising.

The Lost Seasons: A Career Interrupted

It’s easy to forget, amid the fanfare and endorsements, that Shohei Ohtani’s career has been anything but linear. He missed all of 2019 on the mound due to Tommy John surgery, and again in 2024, he was sidelined after yet another UCL injury. For someone whose identity is wrapped around being both a dominant hitter and a dominant pitcher, each injury is a blow to the very essence of what makes him unique.

Despite the accolades—two MVPs, All-Star appearances, record-breaking stats—there’s always been a fragile line between glory and pain in Ohtani’s story. Perhaps part of the unhappiness now is rooted in that persistent fragility. The sense that no matter how spectacular he is, his body might not let him be everything he wants to be.

The Dodgers Factor: New City, New Pressure

There’s also the matter of transition. Moving from the Angels to the Dodgers is not just a change of uniform. It’s a jump from underdog to powerhouse, from obscurity to the blinding lights of one of the most watched franchises in the world.

With that comes a new kind of pressure. The Dodgers aren’t content with highlights—they want championships. They’ve built a superteam, and Ohtani is its centerpiece. Fans aren’t just rooting for him—they’re counting on him. Anything less than a World Series win would feel like a disappointment.

So as he stood on the mound in his first Dodgers start, perhaps what we were witnessing wasn’t just a man returning—it was a man carrying the hopes of a billion-dollar empire on his surgically repaired elbow.

A Private Person in a Public Arena

Another aspect worth noting is Ohtani’s personality. Unlike many American sports stars, Ohtani is intensely private. He doesn’t court drama. He avoids controversy. He rarely reveals his inner emotional life. His press conferences are measured, often filtered through his interpreter. His Instagram is curated, not confessional.

And yet, on the field, he is electric, expressive, almost mythical. The contrast is striking. Perhaps part of the reason Ohtani seemed unhappy during his return is that, for him, public attention is a side effect—not the goal.

He doesn’t live for the spotlight. He lives for the game, for the challenge, for the pursuit of excellence. And when that pursuit is interrupted by injury, then diluted by the commercial circus of a massive comeback, the joy can become complicated.

Still in Transition: The Hitter’s Dilemma

There’s also a strategic factor at play. While Ohtani has returned to the mound, his role as a designated hitter hasn’t quite returned to full throttle. Dodgers management is still balancing his playing time, trying to protect his recovery while also maximizing his impact.

For someone who thrives on being both, this compromise might feel like a limitation. He doesn’t want to be just a pitcher. He doesn’t want to be just a hitter. He wants to be everything. And when you’re forced to be only half of what you believe you are, it’s hard to feel whole—no matter how well you perform.

What’s Next for Shohei Ohtani?

There is, however, a quiet power in Ohtani’s dissatisfaction. It’s not a tantrum. It’s not bitterness. It’s something deeper—the hunger of a man who knows what greatness looks like and won’t rest until he meets it again.

He’s back, yes—but only physically. The full Shohei Ohtani experience, the version that dominates on both sides of the plate, that stares down legends and writes new records, is still in the process of being rebuilt.

And in that in-between space—where promise meets pressure, and perfection remains just out of reach—it’s understandable that joy hasn’t quite returned.

Conclusion: More Than Just a Game

“I’m back” wasn’t a celebration—it was a mission statement. A quiet vow to the fans, the team, and most of all, to himself. But the happiness, the elation that should come with such a statement, is still waiting in the wings.

Shohei Ohtani isn’t happy because he’s not done yet. He’s not satisfied. He hasn’t reached the summit he sees in his own mind. And maybe he never will—because for athletes like Ohtani, the journey itself is the point. The striving, the rebuilding, the relentless pursuit of something just beyond reach.

And maybe that’s what makes him truly great. Not the stats. Not the contracts. But the simple, restless truth that even after everything he’s achieved, he still wants more.