With only a couple of exceptions, the Los Angeles Dodgers have kept Shohei Ohtani on a light throwing schedule each Wednesday and more work off the mound on Saturdays.
The team has been closely monitoring Ohtani’s pitching progression and exercising patience as he looks to return from a second Tommy John surgery. With this, an indefinite timetable has been set for Ohtani’s debut as a pitcher with the Dodgers.
Ohtani is progressing but has no date to return
There are several steps that must be completed first, and Ohtani fulfilled one of them during his bullpen session at Chase Field on Saturday, simulating pitching in multiple innings.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts considered it a notable breakthrough, according to MLB.com’s Sonja Chen.
“It’s meaningful because it simulates an up-and-down inning,” Roberts said. “To see how he recovers after, say, resting for five to seven minutes, and see how he responds.”
While Ohtani took a step forward in his progression, he still did not throw a slider. Ohtani is still limited to throwing fastballs (two-seam, four-seam and cutter), in addition to his splitter, in bullpen sessions. He began incorporating splitters for the first time during a bullpen session on April 5.
Recently, when talking about his schedule, Ohtani expressed his hope to soon move on to facing hitters. However, he also expressed his understanding of the caution with which the Dodgers have handled his schedule.
The Dodgers will not schedule Ohtani to pitch against hitters until he first advances to throwing with his full mix of pitches.
Will Shohei Ohtani pitch after the All-Star Game?
During the offseason, Roberts initially indicated that Ohtani would begin pitching for the Dodgers in May. But the target date eventually changed and the Dodgers have not publicly disclosed any timetable or expectation as to when Ohtani will return to the mound.
However, it seems unlikely that this will happen until after the All-Star break.
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