Shohei Ohtani takes important step in his push to return to Dodgers’ rotation
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- Shohei Ohtani threw 34 pitches off a bullpen mound before Friday’s game against Milwaukee as the Dodgers star works toward returning to the rotation.
- Ohtani hasn’t pitched since July 3 because of lingering inflammation and soreness in his left knee.
Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani took the bullpen mound at Dodger Stadium, with president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman and pitching coach Mark Prior looking on, and began his first bullpen throwing session in more than three weeks.
Friday marked an important step in Ohtani’s throwing progression. He threw 34 pitches before the Dodgers’ 3-1 win over the Milwaukee Brewers. According to manager Dave Roberts, he threw his complete arsenal of pitches.
“I’m pretty confident that if we stay the course, he’ll throw a ‘pen in two, three, four, five days,” Roberts said. “And then, if we get out of that, I think we’ll be out of the woods.”
Although Ohtani hasn’t landed on the injured list for lingering inflammation and soreness in his left knee, he hasn’t pitched in a game since July 3.
After Ohtani received a lubricating Orthovisc injection in his knee at the beginning of the All-Star break, the Dodgers hoped he would pitch against the Philadelphia Phillies on July 22. But as they monitored his response, it became clear he wasn’t going to be ready.
Edwin Díaz has pulled a 2025 Tanner Scott and become a major liability for the Dodgers. They simply have to find another role for Díaz in the bullpen.
Instead, Ohtani threw a 31-pitch bullpen. But his recovery regressed, and he was shut down from throwing.
“At the end of the day, he wants to be healthy,” Roberts said earlier this week. “He wants to be there in the postseason. I think that did check him up. If you look at how we kind of paused things — we all want to be smart and careful. I’m happy that we’ve done that with him.”
Ohtani restarted catch play on Aug. 7. And after playing catch three more days this week, Ohtani and the Dodgers determined he was ready to throw off the mound again.
“Rather than rush the progression of this I would rather make sure we’re headed in the right direction,” Ohtani said last week. “Making sure we’re taking the right steps.”
Yoshinobu Yamamoto gives up just four hits over six solid innings as the Dodgers overcome another shaky Edwin Díaz performance to beat Milwaukee 3-1.
Ohtani is expected to go through a bullpen progression and then advance to throwing live batting practice. Roberts didn’t have an exact schedule for those steps but he estimated Ohtani would need one or two more bullpens and no fewer than two live BPs.
Because the Dodgers want to keep Ohtani in the lineup, he’ll have to build up in games rather than going on a minor-league rehab assignment.
Ohtani did something similar last season, but then he was returning to the mound for the first time since 2023 elbow surgery.
“Having kind of done that — an inning here, an inning there and then you sort of build up during the season, absolutely,” said Roberts when asked if 2025 could serve as a blueprint. “And I think he’s seen what that buildup can lead to and how it looks. I certainly feel that he’ll buy in.”
Injury updates
Catchers Will Smith (neck) and Dalton Rushing (elbow) each took steps in their hitting progressions. Both took batting practice Friday.
Smith has been out since early June, so he’ll need to progress to live batting practice and likely go on a minor-league rehab assignment before returning from the IL.
“Will, I don’t see the rehab being too long,” Roberts said, “given his kind of simple swing and things like that.”
Rushing landed on the IL on Aug. 3 and began taking swings a week later. But he has yet to start a throwing program.
“Dalton, very encouraged,” Roberts said. “Feels like he can go out there and take an at-bat right now, which is great.”
