While Shohei Ohtani continues to dominate at the plate, his highly anticipated return to the mound remains uncertain. Los Angeles Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman offered a vague update.
“We’re continuing to map out the next week or two, and everything is trending in the right direction,” Friedman said. “At some point, we’ll start to ramp things up — just not sure exactly when.”
Los Angeles Dodgers Offer No Clear Sign On Shohei Ohtani’s Return Timeline
Ohtani, who hasn’t pitched since August 2023 following a second Tommy John surgery, recently threw breaking balls during a flat-ground session, a key milestone in his rehab. “It is progressing,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts told The Los Angeles Times. “I’m not sure when he’s going to take that slider from the flat ground to the bullpen, but that is progress. Yes.”
This marks the first time Ohtani has incorporated sliders into his throwing program, having previously only thrown fastballs and splitters. His workload has ramped up to 50 pitches per session, even simulating game scenarios with pauses to mimic time between innings.
President of baseball operations Andrew Friedman echoed Roberts’ cautious optimism: “Everything is progressing in the right direction, and we’ll start accelerating it at some point. Not sure exactly when.”
Still, the Dodgers are taking a measured approach. Ohtani is not expected to pitch before the All-Star break, and no firm timeline has been established. “I really wish I had an answer [on when it will be],” Roberts echoed Friedman. “I’m just waiting for the green light from people that are sort of managing Shohei’s rehab.”
With Blake Snell, Tyler Glasnow, and Roki Sasaki all sidelined, the Dodgers’ rotation has taken a hit, ranking 11th in the NL with a 4.22 ERA. “It’s not the staff we thought we’d have this season,” Roberts admitted.
In the meantime, Ohtani is raking: slashing .311/.405/.668 with 17 home runs, 31 RBIs, and 11 stolen bases in 222 plate appearances. When he does return to the mound, he could provide the elite pitching presence L.A. sorely needs.