Shohei Ohtani is expected to return to pitching for the Los Angeles Dodgers this season, but when that will happen remains up in the air.
Manager Dave Robert suggested during the offseason that early May was a potential timeframe for Ohtani getting back on the mound. However, that no longer appears feasible after the two-way star had a pause in his pitching progression during Spring Training.
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Ohtani has thrown multiple bullpen sessions since the Dodgers returned from Japan, including on Saturday at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia.
Ohtani won’t throw off the mound again until Thursday and then will have a more traditional bullpen session on Saturday as the Dodgers try to keep him on a seven-day program, via Bill Plunkett of the Southern California News Group:
But he is not scheduled to “touch” a mound again until Thursday, according to Dodgers manager Dave Roberts, and his next full session isn’t scheduled until next Saturday.
The idea is to mirror as closely as possible the schedule Ohtani will have when he returns as a starting pitcher.
“I think it’s just more trying to keep him on a similar seven-day program, and what the schedule would look like going out, and build from there,” Roberts said.
Ohtani’s pitching schedule of mound work on Thursday and Saturday keeps in line with what he just completed this past week.
Ohtani has pitched on a seven-day schedule for the majority of his career, which gives him extra rest so he can continue serving as a designated hitter on days when he isn’t on the mound.
The right-hander is looking to pitch in a Major League game for the first time since the 2023 season. That year ended somewhat early for Ohtani as he underwent a second career Tommy John surgery.
Ohtani is expected to pitch out of the windup for the first time in his career when he returns to the mound. The 30-year-old began experimenting with the new delivery during Spring Training in pursuit of improving as a pitcher.
Shohei Ohtani makes progress
Dodgers pitching coach Mark Prior said Ohtani’s latest bullpen included throwing a splitter for the first time since restarting his progression.
Up until that point, Ohtani had been limited to throwing fastballs (two-seamer, four-seam, cutter) in his bullpens.
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