Shohei Ohtani takes next step in slow build toward return to pitching as Dodgers’ injuries stack up

The Dodgers are 26-14 this season, sitting in a virtual tie atop the NL West with the Padres. One issue they’ve had is starting pitching injuries. Among them would be the rehabbing-while-hitting Shohei Ohtani. He’s continuing to try and work his way back to the mound what has been a relatively slow build. 

Ohtani still hasn’t pitched for the Dodgers. He’s been a DH and has been exceptional in doing so, winning the 2024 MVP as part of the World Series champions and he’s the WAR leader this season. Still, he was signed to his $700 million deal in part due to his unique ability to star both as a designated hitter and a pitcher. 

He hasn’t pitched Aug. 23, 2023, then a member of the Angels. He had surgery on his elbow a month later, putting him at around 20 months now since that surgery. 

On Saturday, Ohtani took the next step forward in his pitching rehab, throwing around 35 four-seam fastballs, two-seamers (aka sinkers) and splitters. He also took a break about halfway through to simulate being down in between two innings. 

“It’s significant because it sort of simulates an up-down inning,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts told reporters (via MLB.com). “To see how he comes out of it after taking, call it, five-to-seven minutes of rest, and to see how he responds.”

Ohtani is still a ways off and has yet to even face hitters. After that, the plan appears to be to start blending in his breaking pitches. Once he gets through all that, they’ll work toward a simulated game and then he’ll return to the mound for a real game. 

There are plenty of complications with Ohtani that aren’t faced by other pitchers. He can’t go on a minor-league rehab assignment because the Dodgers need him in the lineup as a hitter. Keep in mind that all season in 2024, Ohtani was trying to rehab his throwing arm while also playing in 159 games in the regular season, starting the All-Star Game and then starting all 16 playoff games. In the process, he injured his left (non-throwing) shoulder and needed offseason surgery to repair that. 

Surely the non-throwing shoulder injury and its ensuing rehab set back his pitching rehab, just like everything above would. 

These are all reasons why this looks like the longest and most drawn-out rehab we’ve seen in recent memory from a pitcher trying to return from surgery without us hearing about a legitimate setback on the pitching arm. 

Meantime, the Dodgers have Blake Snell, Tyler Glasnow, Clayton Kershaw and four other starting pitchers on the injured list. Roki Sasaki is struggling. Dustin May and Tony Gonsolin recently returned from extended absences due to arm surgery. Yoshinobu Yamamoto has been amazing atop the rotation, though. And through all that, the Dodgers remain the World Series favorites (+240, per BetMGM).

It’ll be interesting to see how things shake out with the Dodgers rotation moving forward, most notably how things progress with Ohtani as he tries to continue to juggle his offense with his pitching rehab.