Shohei Ohtani is scheduled to face reside hitters for the primary time since 2023 forward of the Los Angeles Dodgers’ recreation in opposition to the New York Mets on Sunday.
It’s the subsequent step in Ohtani’s restoration from the fitting ulnar collateral ligament surgical procedure he underwent within the fall of 2023. He has but to pitch for the Dodgers since signing a 10-year, $700 million free agent deal forward of the 2024 season.
Ohtani lately added sliders and curveballs into his bullpen periods to associate with his fastball. Supervisor Dave Roberts stated Ohtani is reaching 95 mph together with his fastball and his “stuff appears good.”
Ohtani will throw to teammates at Citi Area Sunday morning, and Roberts stated the staff is taking issues a step at a time and at Ohtani’s tempo.
He is not going to return to the mound earlier than the All-Star break.
“I feel we’re all anxious to see the way it appears to hitters. However when he decides to ramp it up, I am very anxious [to see] that, too,” Roberts stated. “But it surely’s all on his schedule. It truly is. When he will introduce the slider to hitters, when he desires to essentially ramp up the speed, it is all between him and the medical doctors.”
Not like different pitchers getting nearer to a return to the mound, the Dodgers haven’t got the posh of sending their leadoff hitter and reigning Nationwide League Most Precious Participant to the minors for a rehab task. As a substitute, he’ll throw in simulated video games.
Ohtani, 30, is tied for the lead within the majors with 17 dwelling runs and is hitting .302 with 31 RBIs from the designated hitter spot. Final season, he led the Nationwide League in dwelling runs (54) and RBIs (130) and have become the primary participant to steal 50 bases and homer 50 instances.
As a pitcher over 5 seasons with the Los Angeles Angels, he was 38-10 with a 3.01 ERA in 86 begins. Over 481 2/3 innings, he struck out 608 batters.
He completed fourth within the American League Cy Younger Award voting in 2022, sandwiched between two AL MVP wins.
–Area Stage Media