By Jamie Barton, CNN
(CNN) — Shohei Ohtani is expected to throw his first bullpen session this weekend as he returns from the elbow injury that prevented him from pitching in his first year with the Los Angeles Dodgers last season.
The three-time MVP has not appeared on the mound since August 23, 2023, in the Los Angeles Angels’ 9-4 loss to the Cincinnati Reds. He underwent Tommy John surgery the following month which, after signing a record $700 million contract, saw him take up a role as the Dodgers’ designated hitter in 2024, when he became MLB’s first ever 50-50 player and the team won the World Series.
Ohtani threw off flat ground on Wednesday and was pleased with how the session went.
“I’m very satisfied overall with my throwing. I was able to throw with pretty good intensity. It was a little cold today, but I was able to get my work done,” he told reporters through an interpreter.
He did say, however, that he was not yet feeling as strong as he did before the injury.
“I do feel like there’s some discomfort that I have to still overcome. It’s not really debilitating. I feel pretty good, almost getting there, to where I want it to be,” he said.
“It’s going to be more about touching the slope,” he added. “Not sure what my intensity is going to be.”
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts told reporters that Ohtani would not be ready to pitch in Spring Training contests or in Tokyo for the team’s season opening games against the Chicago Cubs on March 18-19, but that the Japanese superstar was making progress.
“I don’t know when he’s going to pitch for us this year. It will be sooner than later,” he said.
As well as the elbow injury, the 30-year-old is also recovering from a partially torn labrum in his left shoulder, which he sustained sliding into second base during Game 2 of the World Series in October.
Ohtani dismissed fears that his batting could be affected by the injury.
“On the hitting side of things, I do feel like everything is on time and on schedule,” he confirmed.
The-CNN-Wire
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