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The Los Angeles Dodgers have decided to slow down Shohei Ohtani’s pitching rehab as he ramps up his workload as a designated hitter, manager Dave Roberts confirmed Thursday.
Ohtani, the reigning National League MVP, has not thrown a bullpen session since Feb. 25. He is not expected to face hitters until after the Dodgers return from their season-opening series against the Chicago Cubs in Tokyo on March 18-19.
The two-way superstar underwent right elbow surgery in the fall of 2023 and later had left shoulder surgery in November. While he is progressing as a hitter, the Dodgers are being cautious with his return to the mound.
No Rush on Pitching Timeline
“As the game has intensified, his work playing in games, (we tried) to give him a little respite from the (pitching) rehab and to slow him down,” Roberts explained.
Although Roberts previously mentioned a possible pitching return in May, he clarified that there is no set timeline.
“We’ve never really put a time on anything,” he said. “We just felt that to intensify the bullpens alongside the intensity of the games wasn’t smart, so we just wanted to kind of slow-play it.”
Strong Performance at the Plate
Ohtani continues to make an impact as a hitter. He led off as the designated hitter against the Texas Rangers on Thursday, going 2-for-4 with a first-inning double in an 8-4 win.
He is also set to play in back-to-back games for the first time in spring training on Monday and Tuesday as the Dodgers conclude their Cactus League schedule.
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