Shohei Ohtani Prepares to Face Live Batters
Japanese star Shohei Ohtani is scheduled to face hitters this weekend, marking a milestone in his recovery after right elbow surgery.
The Los Angeles Dodgers player will participate in a live batting practice session on Sunday at Citi Field, before the game against the New York Mets. Originally, it was scheduled for Saturday, but manager Dave Roberts decided to postpone it a day after Friday’s 13-inning victory.
This live batting practice represents the next step in Ohtani’s rehabilitation, who is seeking to return to the mound. He underwent surgery on September 19, 2023, this being the second major operation on his right elbow.
“It’s a progression. Progress for Shohei. He doesn’t usually show his emotions, but I don’t see how he couldn’t feel that this is becoming more realistic.”
Dave Roberts, Dodgers manager.
Although there is still no defined date for Ohtani’s debut as a pitcher with the Dodgers, it is expected that it could occur in July. Manager Roberts emphasized that the progress will depend on how the player feels and the next step in his recovery.
Roberts did not specify how many pitches Ohtani will throw or which teammates he will face in the live session.
“We’ve seen the bullpen sessions for quite a while, so we’re eager to see him go out there and try to get some big league hitters out.”
Dave Roberts, Dodgers manager.
In a bullpen session on Tuesday, Ohtani incorporated breaking pitches for the first time in his rehabilitation program, after having been limited to fastballs and splitters.
“The stuff looks good. It’s easy 94, 95 mph coming out of his hand. It’s a really good pitch. We’re eager to see what it looks like against hitters. When he decides to ramp it up, I’m really eager for that, too. But it’s all on his timetable, it really is. When he’s going to introduce his slider to hitters, when he wants to really ramp up the velocity, that’s all between him and the doctor.”
Dave Roberts, Dodgers manager.
Ohtani threw a 50-pitch bullpen session last Saturday, an increase from the 35 pitches of the previous session.
After that workout, the designated hitter went 0-for-6 with two strikeouts in an 11-9 loss to the Angels. Roberts acknowledged that the increase in the intensity of Ohtani’s mound rehabilitation regimen could affect his offensive performance as a designated hitter.
The Dodgers, current World Series champions, do not plan for Ohtani to make any rehabilitation starts in the minor leagues that would take him out of the Major League lineup.
Ohtani, before the start of the series against the Mets, was tied for the lead in Major League Baseball with 17 home runs. The three-time MVP, who also underwent surgery on his left shoulder in the offseason, was batting .304 with 31 RBIs and an OPS of 1.053. In addition, he led Major League Baseball in runs scored with 52.
In other matters, Roberts reported that right-handed pitcher Tyler Glasnow felt very good after throwing between 16 and 19 pitches on Friday in his first bullpen session since being placed on the injured list on April 28.
Glasnow (right shoulder inflammation) is one of the Dodgers’ 14 pitchers on the injured list.
