As Shohei Ohtani continued to throw bullpen sessions late last year it sparked questions and speculation his Los Angeles Dodgers pitching debut would occur during the postseason.
Some believed if the Dodgers played deep enough into October, Ohtani would become an option for them on the mound. The team certainly faced a need for pitching during somewhat of an improbable World Series run, but Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman, general manager Brandon Gomes and manager Dave Roberts continued to rule out Ohtani pitching in 2024.
Then during the offseason, Roberts mentioned May as a likely time for when Ohtani would make his Dodgers pitching debut. However, that no longer appeared feasible once Ohtani paused his throwing progression and given he has yet to begin facing batters.
During an appearance “The Jim Rome Show,” Roberts shared that Ohtani pitching in games is still down the road but the team expects to have him on the mound for the playoffs:
“He’s got a full one Saturday, and hopefully soon he’s going to start facing some hitters. Time of return, we’re still a couple months away. I know that’s vague, but we’re just trying to get to the next step, then get to the next step and see where we’re at.
“But certainly expect him to pitch for us this year and through the postseason.”
Ohtani threw four bullpen sessions at Camelback Ranch before shifting his focus in Spring Training to preparing for duties as designated hitter. He continued to play catch from flat ground and resumed work off a mound once the Dodgers returned from the Tokyo Series.
The steady progress saw Ohtani take a step forward during his bullpen session at Citizens Bank Park on April 5, as he incorporated throwing a splitter for the first time.
Ohtani has continued to do so, with his bullpens now featuring a mixture of two-seam fastballs, four-seamer, cutter and splitter.
Shohei Ohtani anticipating live BP
When recently discussing his progress, Ohtani shared a hope to soon take another step forward by facing batters. However, he also expressed an understanding with how cautious the Dodgers have been with handling his schedule.
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