Shohei Ohtani is likely to return to the mound during the Los Angeles Dodgers’ next homestand running from Sept. 1 to Sept. 9, according to MLB.com’s Sonja Chen.
Chen notes that Ohtani will throw a bullpen session during the team’s series in Atlanta beginning on Tuesday. If all goes well, Ohtani could return to the Dodgers’ rotation closer to the start of the team’s homestand in early September. If he requires an additional session against live hitters -- which he threw prior to Saturday’s game against the Pittsburgh Pirates -- it’s likely he’ll return toward the end of their homestand.
Ohtani threw 30 pitches in Saturday’s session and came out of it feeling good.
“If it were up to Shohei,” manager Dave Roberts said via Chen, “he’d be in a game in a few days.”
Ohtani last appeared on a big-league mound on July 3 and has been exclusively DHing since due to left knee soreness. Chen notes that Ohtani will not go on a rehab assignment and will instead build up as a pitcher in-game, similar to the approach he took in returning from his second elbow surgery last year. Chen adds that the Dodgers’ ultimate priority is to build Ohtani up for October as they aim to win their third straight World Series title.
The 32-year-old was having his best pitching season yet at the time of his injury, going 8-2 with a 1.79 ERA. He has 95 strikeouts and allowed just 55 hits in 85.2 innings spread out over 14 starts.
At the plate, Ohtani is his usual productive self as he leads the National League with a .935 OPS and a 158 OPS+ along with 30 home runs and 80 RBI in 121 games.
The Dodgers begin play Tuesday with a nine and a half game lead in the NL West at 80-51, one win shy of the Milwaukee Brewers for the most in baseball.
