The Los Angeles Dodgers have taken a methodical approach with Shohei Ohtani as he’s navigated a recovery process for returning to pitching this season.
But Ohtani’s third time facing batters may have been his biggest statement yet, and it’s potentially going to result in the Dodgers accelerating his timeline.
Ohtani threw 44 pitches over three innings against Dodgers Minor Leaguers at Petco Park before Tuesday’s game. It was his highest totals in both pitches and innings since starting to face batters on a weekly basis last month. Ohtani collected six strikeouts in the live session.
“Anytime you get swing and miss, whether big leaguers or Minor Leaguers, it’s more of how the swing and miss is coming. It wasn’t just pure power and velocity,” Dodgers pitching coach Mark Prior noted.
“He got some swings and misses on his offspeed pitches, he’s been able to keep guys off balance with their timing. There’s different types of misses, so I think from that standpoint, his ability to command different types of pitches to get guys off their timing, and get swing and miss in the strike zone. I think that’s also important.
“It’s not just balls in dirt that guys chase. He’s getting misses in the strike zone. So I think that’s one. Two, when you look at being able to get into the third inning, at 44 pitches, and being able to maintain that stuff through the entire outing.
“Sometimes guys in rehab, you start seeing things trend down, quality of stuff, velocity or just their overall physical shape. He didn’t show any signs of that, so I think those are all positive signs. I thought today was another extremely positive day.”
When is Shohei Ohtani returning?
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts echoed much of what Prior expressed. He also acknowledged feeling a renewed sense of optimism given Ohtani’s progress, coupled with that of Blake Snell and Tyler Glasnow.
Roberts called it “tempting” to insert Ohtani into the Dodgers’ rotation ahead of the rough timeline that’s been given for after the All-Star break.
When specifically asked if it was possible Ohtani makes his Dodgers pitching debut prior to the All-Star Game, Roberts answered, “It’s north of zero.”
Roberts further noted Ohtani does not need to be fully stretched out in order to make an impact for the Dodgers.
“Because anything he can give us is certainly going to be additive,” he said. The flexibility stems from Ohtani being designated as a two-way player and thus allowing the Dodgers to have him start games but still carry an extra pitcher on their roster.
But even with the potential of Ohtani returning to pitching within the first two weeks of July, Roberts said Dr. Neal ElAttrache and the Dodgers’ training staff will continue to dictate the pace and progress of his recovery.
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