Los Angeles star Shohei Ohtani resumed live batting practice on Sunday afternoons following his elbow surgery in September 2023, marking a key step in his recovery. During Sunday’s session, Ohtani threw 22 pitches across five batting rounds, pitching to teammates Haiseon Kim and Dalton Rushing as well as ‘ game planning and communications coach JT Watkins. Pitching coach Mark Pryor reported that Ohtani reached a velocity of 97 mph in this light throwing session.
manager Dave Roberts praised Ohtani, calling him a top-tier starter and emphasizing the team’s high expectations for him. Unlike a typical minor league rehab assignment, Ohtani remains with the to continue hitting while gradually rebuilding his pitching in a controlled environment—similar to his rehab approach used by the Los Angeles Angels in 2018 after previous elbow surgery.
Before his 2023 injury, Ohtani had pitched 132 innings with a 3.14 ERA and 167 strikeouts. Over the 2021-2023 period, he maintained a 2.84 ERA with 542 strikeouts in 428 1/3 innings, proving he is an impactful pitcher. The see Ohtani’s return as a crucial upgrade to their struggling rotation.
Currently, the have seven starting pitchers on the injured list (excluding Ohtani, who is active as a batter but not pitching yet). Their rotation depth includes active pitchers like Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Clayton Kershaw, Dustin May, Tony Gonsolin, Landon Knack, Bobby Miller, and Justin Bruihl, while injured pitchers such as Brocks Snell, Tyler Glasnow, Roki Sasaki, Gavin Stone, River Ryan, Emmet Sheehan, and Kyle Hurt are on various rehab paths.
Glasnow and Snell have recently started throwing again but, like Ohtani, still need several weeks before rejoining full rotation duties. Usually, the recovery involves a six-week gradual progression from throwing to bullpen sessions, live batting practice, and then an MLB rehab game. The are handling Ohtani’s rehab with extra care, avoiding pressure and focusing on long-term health.
Despite a payroll nearing $400 million, the have used 13 different starting pitchers in 52 games this season, more than any other team. This is partly intentional, as the treat the regular season as preparation for October, managing pitching workloads carefully with the postseason in mind.
The currently lead the NL West with a 32-20 record. Offensively, Ohtani boasts an impressive .296/.390/.631 slash line, with 17 home runs and 11 stolen bases, and is a three-time unanimous MVP.
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Fan Take: Shohei Ohtani’s progress is a beacon of hope for fans and baseball enthusiasts alike. His return could revitalize one of the league’s most tantalizing talents, showcasing extraordinary dual-threat ability and adding excitement that could reshape the landscape of pitching and hitting in the sport.
