Apr 23, 2024; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers two-way player Shohei Ohtani (17) stands on the field during a throwing session prior to the Dodgers' game against the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports Geoff Burke/USA TODAY Sports
Shohei Ohtani will not take the mound for the Dodgers in 2024 as he recovers from the second right elbow surgery of his career, but things seem to be going well for him in his recovery.
Before Spring Training ended, Ohtani had already recovered enough to have no worries about hitting this season, but he still has a long way to go before he will be able to pitch again.
The good news is that he is already a couple months into his pitching rehab as he has been following a throwing program since late March. For now, every additional box that is checked in the rehab process is positive step in the right direction.
On Wednesday, Ohtani took another step forward as he continues to build up the throwing strength in his right arm, according to Bill Plunkett of the Southern California News Group:
Ohtani began his throwing back on March 25 and each session was monitored by the Dodgers training staff.
Lately, he has been throwing every other day as he slowly builds back up, and the Dodgers were pleased to see each session going according to plan.
Ohtani has not made an appearance as a pitcher since he was shut down by the Los Angeles Angels on Aug. 23 of last year, and has exclusively been used as a hitter since.
Ohtani has already shown that the surgery on his elbow had no impact on his ability as a hitter, and he is on pace to have the best season of his career offensively. It offers hope that he can have a similar recovery as a pitcher and be an effective starter for the Dodgers down the line.
Dodgers continuing to monitor Ohtani’s back trouble
Ohtani returned to the Dodgers lineup on May 13 after being removed from the game two days prior and receiving a day of the following day.
The issues seem to be in the rearview mirror after Ohtani didn’t feel any lingering discomfort after playing in the game, but the Dodgers will proceed with caution and continue to monitor him as the days go by.
This article first appeared on Dodger Blue and was syndicated with permission.
