Shohei Ohtani will make his long-awaited return to pitching on Monday night time in a matchup in opposition to the division-rival San Diego Padres, the Los Angeles Dodgers introduced.
Ohtani, 21 months faraway from a second restore of his ulnar collateral ligament, might be used as an opener, seemingly throwing one inning. Due to his two-way designation, Ohtani qualifies as an additional pitcher on the roster, giving the Dodgers the pliability to make use of a piggyback starter behind him.
That’s basically what is going to happen in his first handful of begins — a byproduct of the progress Ohtani has made within the late levels of his pitching rehab.
Ohtani, 30, initially gave the impression to be progressing towards a return a while round August. However he made a serious step throughout his third simulated sport from San Diego’s Petco Park on Tuesday, throwing 44 pitches over the course of three simulated innings and compiling six strikeouts in opposition to a few low-level minor leaguers.
Afterward, Dodgers supervisor Dave Roberts mentioned it was a “north of zero” likelihood Ohtani may return earlier than the All-Star break. When he met with reporters previous to Sunday’s sport in opposition to the San Francisco Giants — an eventual 5-4 victory — Roberts mentioned it was a “risk” Ohtani may pitch after only one extra simulated sport.
After the sport, Roberts indicated the timeline may need been pushed even additional, telling reporters it was a “excessive risk” Ohtani would pitch in an enormous league sport this week as an opener, seemingly in the course of the upcoming four-game collection in opposition to the Padres.
“He is able to pitch in an enormous league sport,” Roberts informed reporters. “He tell us.”
