For the primary time since becoming a member of the Dodgers, Shohei Ohtani has thrown off a mound in spring coaching.
Ohtani is constant to rehab from main elbow surgical procedure he had towards the tip of the 2023 season with the Angels. The following offseason, he signed a $700 million take care of the Dodgers. The 2-way celebrity was restricted to DH duties in 2024 and he nonetheless received NL MVP along with serving to the Dodgers win the World Collection. He did throw some bullpen periods late final yr, however by no means ramped it as much as the purpose that he was a critical contender to return out of the bullpen within the playoffs.
He’ll now try to be a two-way star once more, this time for the Dodgers in 2025. Saturday, he threw 14 pitches off a mound for his first bullpen session of the yr. All his pitches had been fastballs, sitting between 92-94 miles per hour, supervisor Dave Roberts informed reporters. The timetable stays unchanged, which is that the Dodgers are planning to have him prepared to hitch the rotation someday in Could.
The problem right here is Ohtani rehabbing as a pitcher whereas additionally taking part in full-time on the offensive facet as a delegated hitter, which suggests he will not take a minor-league rehab stint and can simply throw simulated video games as he will get nearer to game-ready.
“I feel we’re doing a superb job of … break(ing) up the hitting versus the pitching, the workload,” supervisor Dave Roberts mentioned. “However I feel all of us really feel good as a result of he is accomplished it and he is had success doing it. For us, it is simply ensuring we work with him, perceive what he feels he wants that specific day and days forthcoming.”
As Roberts alluded to, Ohtani has come again from Tommy John surgical procedure earlier than, it was simply with the Angels a number of years in the past.
Ohtani was final in a rotation in 2023, going 10-5 with a 3.14 ERA, 1.06 WHIP and 167 strikeouts towards 55 walks in 132 innings. The Dodgers plan to be “inventive” with Ohtani, which seemingly means they’re going to go to six-man rotations at occasions and presumably even skip him a begin or two on the mound whereas preserving because the on a regular basis DH.
Within the latter position final season, Ohtani hit .310/.390/.646 (190 OPS+) with 38 doubles, seven triples, 54 homers, 130 RBI, 134 runs, 59 steals and 9.2 WAR. It netted him his third MVP in 4 seasons. He completed second the yr he did not win.
