The Los Angeles Dodgers have been hampered by pitching injuries all season long, but Shohei Ohtani has made significant strides in his work to return to the mound.
In his latest bullpen on Saturday, he touched 95 mph over the course of his 35-pitch session, per the Orange County Register’s Bill Plunkett.
Although his breaking pitches still aren’t featured yet, the increased velocity is a promising sign. Once Ohtani is back to getting his slider into these sessions, he will be able to move onto the next phase of his pitching progression, a simulated game.
As for when fans can expect the three-time MVP to get his sliders in the mix, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts conceded to team doctor, Dr. Neal ElAttrache.
“I think it’s more Dr. ElAttrache talking to our trainer and then to Shohei. I think those three are collectively driving this process,” Roberts said of the slider incorporation.
Roberts also spoke on the increased speed from Ohtani and seemed to be pleased with the positive update.
“From what I hear, he was ramping it up a little bit more with the velocity,” Roberts said. “Just from talking to the trainers I think that’s a good sign, that there’s a little bit more intensity going on there.”
Ohtani still has yet to pitch in a Dodgers uniform, but with the Los Angeles Angels, he boasted a 3.01 ERA with a 3.51 strikeout-to-walk ratio over his five pitching seasons in Anaheim (with one season lasting just 1.2 innings due to a flexor pronator mass strain in his right elbow in 2020).
The Dodgers will continue to not rush back their superstar as the goal is to have Ohtani healthy enough to both bat and pitch at an elite level deep into the season.
Fans saw what he did in 2024 when he was solely a hitter, but to bring the same talent and intensity to the mound in October would be the realization of a dream almost two years in the making for the organization.
