Shohei Ohtani keeps inching forward to a return to the mound for the Dodgers. On Saturday at Citizens Bank Park, the two-way star threw a 26-pitch bullpen session as part of his careful buildup toward pitching again sometime in 2025. There’s still no firm date for his return, but his progress is steadily ramping up.
Ohtani is working back from his second major elbow surgery, which he had last September to repair his right arm. He’s not yet throwing his full arsenal, but Dodgers pitching coach Mark Prior noted Ohtani did sneak in a few splitters Saturday for the first time since spring training.
Saturday’s outing marked his second full bullpen since February 25. He also conducted a brief “touch-and-feel” session on Thursday, which the Dodgers plan to incorporate into his weekly routine going forward.
Manager Dave Roberts laid out the structure to MLB.com’s Sonja Chen, saying the club is keeping Ohtani on a steady path, sprinkling lighter mound work between full sessions to stay on a weekly rhythm.
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“It’s a week, but then there’s also the one in between, where he touches the mound on a Thursday,” Roberts said. “I think it’s just more trying to keep him on a similar seven-day program, and what the schedule would look [like] going out, and build from there.”
Once Ohtani is ready to go, the Dodgers intend to move to a six-man rotation, something they can manage smoothly because of Ohtani’s unique two-way status. That flexibility means they won’t need to burn a bullpen spot to make it work.
Roberts had previously circled May as a possible target for Ohtani’s return to the mound but has recently indicated there’s no rush. Roberts has made it clear the team’s timeline is fluid, and there’s still a big step ahead: Ohtani hasn’t faced live hitters yet this season. Before that happens, Roberts wants him to stretch past 30 pitches in the bullpen and bring his full pitch mix into play.
Dodgers’ Shohei Ohtani Adds Splitter in Latest Bullpen Workout