Shohei Ohtani threw his first bullpen session in a month on Saturday, however the reigning NL MVP nonetheless has loads of work to do earlier than he takes the mound for the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Ohtani threw greater than 20 pitches within the bullpen at Dodger Stadium after throwing a protracted toss within the outfield. The 2-way celebrity was additionally in his customary leadoff spot within the Dodgers’ lineup because the designated hitter for his or her collection finale in opposition to the Detroit Tigers.
He hadn’t thrown off a mound since Feb. 25, when he paused his pitching work in spring coaching to organize for the common season as a hitter. Ohtani has nonetheless thrown usually on flat floor within the ensuing month.
Dave Roberts speculated earlier within the 12 months that Ohtani may have the ability to make his pitching debut for the Dodgers by Might, however the supervisor reiterated Saturday that there is not any agency timeline.
“It’s going to be some time,” Roberts mentioned. “I believe that you simply begin with the pure development of a bullpen (session), and also you’ve received to then combine totally different pitches in to face hitters once more. So I don’t have a timeline. I don’t suppose anybody does, however we’re a methods away.”
Ohtani hasn’t pitched in a serious league recreation since he had surgical procedure on his proper elbow in September 2023 throughout his ultimate month with the Los Angeles Angels. He had extra surgical procedure on his left shoulder final November after recording the primary 50-homer, 50-stolen-base season in main league historical past and main the Dodgers to their World Sequence championship.
The Dodgers have the posh of time with Ohtani, who’s within the second season of his 10-year, $700 million contract. He already has two homers amongst his six hits with 1.286 OPS within the first 4 video games of the brand new season.
Los Angeles’ rotation is loaded for the time being with newcomers Blake Snell and Roki Sasaki pitching alongside Tyler Glasnow, Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Dustin May.
However the Dodgers have a prolonged current historical past of significant accidents to their beginning pitchers, and Ohtani’s return possible will permit the group to determine a six-man rotation, since Ohtani will not take up a roster spot as a pitcher.
“I believe that we’re nonetheless an excellent membership with him as a DH, clearly,” Roberts mentioned. “We nonetheless need him to pitch. He needs to pitch, and I do suppose that he can deal with it. He’s completed it up to now. I believe the query is, ‘How a lot do we want him proper now?’ And I believe we’ve answered that. His well being is most vital. It’s paramount, and so every time that point is, his buildup reaches that full maturation, he’ll pitch for us.”
Reporting by The Related Press.
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