LOS ANGELES — The Dodgers have been deliberately slow-playing Shohei Ohtani‘s buildup as a pitcher, however his progress has regularly accelerated in current days.
Ohtani combined in sliders and curveballs within the bullpen for the primary time forward of Wednesday’s sequence finale vs. the D-backs at Dodger Stadium. Because the common season started, he is been on a schedule of throwing a lighter bullpen session midweek earlier than a heavier throwing day on Saturdays, most just lately tossing 50 pitches with an up-down.
The Dodgers have been agency that Ohtani must be throwing his complete arsenal earlier than progressing to dealing with hitters. He seems to be knocking on the door of that, which might be his subsequent main step ahead.
“He was spinning it a little bit bit extra within the touch-and-feel,” supervisor Dave Roberts mentioned. “I am unsure what’s to come back. Hopefully, he comes out of it nicely, which is what I’d count on.
“After which, we’ll see what he does at Citi Discipline on Saturday, however there is likely to be a little bit bit extra of a development enhance. So we’ll see what meaning.”
Might that imply dealing with hitters?
“I do not know,” Roberts mentioned, “we’ll see.”
Ohtani has not pitched since present process a process to restore his proper ulnar collateral ligament in September 2023. He additionally had left shoulder labrum surgical procedure final November that delayed his offseason work and led the Dodgers to strategy his return to pitching fastidiously.
There isn’t a timeline for Ohtani’s return to an enormous league mound, however it doubtless will not come till someday after the All-Star break.
“We knew, particularly after the left shoulder surgical procedure, we have been simply going to be a little bit bit extra cautious and be sure that this acquired to a extremely great place earlier than we actually began upping the depth on the pitching facet,” president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman mentioned just lately. “And for us, with him coming off that harm, we did not count on … [to] assume it was honest to consider a wire to wire.”
As soon as Ohtani begins dealing with hitters, the Dodgers could have a greater concept of his timeline. The crew isn’t planning on having Ohtani make Minor League rehab begins as soon as he will get to that time; he’ll construct up by simulated video games to prepare for Main League motion.
