One day after putting himself in the MLB record book with a 40-40 season, Shohei Ohtani continued with the ongoing rehab process as he continues to recover from last year’s Tommy John surgery.
The past few months have seen Ohtani regularly playing catch from flat ground, increasing the number of throws, intensity and distance as the Dodgers’ medical staff allows. But on Saturday, Ohtani took arguably his biggest step forward this season.
With early-arriving fans keenly watching from the left-field pavilion bar and a group standing along the railing in outfield seats, Ohtani walked into the bullpen and threw off the mound for the first time in 2024.
Ohtani threw just 10 pitches, but it represented a significant hurdle cleared.
Shohei Ohtani throwing off the mound for the first time since his elbow surgery!
(🎥: @MLB) pic.twitter.com/j8S2V7fGB6— Dodger Blue (@DodgerBlue1958) August 25, 2024
“His rehab is going great,” manager Dave Roberts said. “I don’t think it (throwing off a mound) really impacts this year, but it’s still building a foundation for him.”
The 29-year-old began his throwing program once the Dodgers returned from the Seoul Series. Up to that point he’d been limited to just swinging the bat amid a focus of being in the lineup for the team’s international Opening Day.
Although Ohtani has maintained his interest in pitching again, he recently acknowledged there could be a correlation between remarkable offensive production this season and only having a designated hitter role.
The Dodgers have nevertheless continued to support Ohtani in his quest to get back off the mound.
In parts of five seasons as a pitcher with the Los Angeles Angels, Ohtani went 38-19 with a 3.01 ERA, 3.30 FIP, 1.08 WHIP and 11.4 strikeouts per nine over 481.2 innings (86 starts). He finished fourth in AL Cy Young Award voting during the 2022 season.
Can Shohei Ohtani pitch in 2024?
Given his steady progression with the throwing program this year, it’s led to some speculation Ohtani would potentially pitch at some point in 2024.
Dodgers general manager Brandon Gomes emphatically ruled out the possibility, however, and said that included Ohtani not pitching in the postseason.
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