Shohei Ohtani has continued to ramp up his throwing program as he works toward taking the mound for the Los Angeles Dodgers at some point this season.
Ohtani threw 44 pitches over three innings against Dodgers Minor Leaguers at Petco Park last Tuesday, which were his highest totals since starting to face batters on a weekly basis last month.
The Dodgers coaching staff has been encouraged by the two-way star’s progress, and manager Dave Roberts left open the possibility of Ohtani making his Dodgers pitching debut before the All-Star Game.
“What do you think?” Ohtani answered through interpreter Will Ireton when asked if that was a reasonable expectation. He had a wry smile when answering in Japanese.
“Something like that,” Ohtani added.
Ohtani noted that advancing to face hitters last month has been a huge part of his recovery process as it gives him the feeling of pitching in an actual game.
“The intensity is different, so how that feels for my body is going to be different as well but it is something I have to go through to make sure my body feels right,” Ohtani explained.
The 30-year-old stressed the importance of continuing to build up his endurance before he would feel comfortable pitching in a real game, but otherwise is confident in his current state.
“I think it all has to do with pitch counts. With the last live BP, I felt like the intensity was there and I felt like my stuff was game-ready,” Ohtani said.
Shohei Ohtani not worried about two-way duties
Ohtani doesn’t have any concerns about becoming a two-way again after being away from a Major League mound for nearly two years.
“I do feel like being the two-way player that I used to be, was the norm. So last year really was the abnormal year. For me, it’s about getting back to what I used to do,” Ohtani said.
Ohtani last pitched in a big league game on August 23, 2023, and was a two-way player for parts of five seasons with the Los Angeles Angels.
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