The Los Angeles Dodgers signed Shohei Ohtani to a record-breaking 10-year, $700 million contract with an understanding they would not yet see his two-way prowess during the 2024 season.
Ohtani underwent right elbow surgery — the second of his career — on Sept. 19, 2023. He completed a rehab process with hitting before Spring Training ended and has been in the Dodgers lineup for each of their four games in the regular season thus far.
When the Dodgers were playing the Seoul Series, manager Dave Roberts said the plan was for Ohtani to start his throwing program once the team returned to the United States. That occurred Monday, minutes after Ohtani delivered his first public remarks since Ippei Mizuhara was fired by the Dodgers amid theft allegations and illegal sports betting.
During a recent interview with the Associated Press, Dr. Neal ElAttrache, who performed Ohtani’s elbow surgery, indicated he would pitch against batters in a simulated environment at some point in September.
Shohei Ohtani’s throwing program schedule
Ohtani resumed throwing before Friday’s game at Dodger Stadium, again playing light catch with Dodgers vice president of player performance Brandon McDaniel.
Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman, head athletic trainer Thomas Albert and interpreter Will Ireton were among those looking on as Ohtani threw at a light intensity for roughly 10 minutes. Ohtani and McDaniel played catch for about five minutes before taking a brief break and then continuing with the throwing session.
While Ohtani went three days between his first two times playing catch since last year’s elbow surgery, the frequency is expected to increase.
“From what I understand, it’s every other day for the next couple weeks and we’ll see how we go from there,” Roberts said.
Roberts previously allowed for the possibility of Ohtani playing outfield late in the 2024 season if his rehab process with throwing advances well.
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