I see 100 miles back in May! It's my first bullpen since surgery, 94 miles. Roberts, a very encouraging day for Ohtani

Feb 16, 2025

I see 100 miles back in May! It's my first bullpen since surgery, 94 miles. Roberts, a very encouraging day for Ohtani
LA Dodgers Shohei Ohtani is pitching a bullpen session at Camelback Ranch on the 16th (Korea time). It has been about 18 months since I received Tommy John Surgery in September 2023. AFP Yonhap News



I see 100 miles back in May! It's my first bullpen since surgery, 94 miles. Roberts, a very encouraging day for Ohtani
Otani Shoheing talks with manager Dave Roberts after the bullpen pitching. AP Yonhap News
LA Dodgers Shohei Ohtani made his first bullpen pitching in spring training.

MLB.com said on the 16th (Korea time) 'Otani Shohei brought crowds to Camelback Ranch's first week of training. Dozens of reporters and hundreds of fans flocked to Ohtani's pitch as if they had been waiting for himThey faced what many Dodgers officials had been waiting for this morning. Ohtani made his first bullpen pitching' he said.

The media then said 'Otani threw 14 balls. They were all four-seam or two-seam fastballs, and Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said his arrest came out from the 92-94th, but he said he was very satisfied for his first bullpen pitching.




Roberts said "The ball was really good. He seems to be satisfied, too. The command was good, and the ball seemed good. A very encouraging day for Shohei!"

While pitching, Ohtani kept exchanging opinions with coaches and checking the ball. I asked him about his restraint and heard his opinion on the ball's movement. Roberts said, `I know very well what the ball is like. He explained, "I compared how a lot of what he thinks comes out in numbers."

I see 100 miles back in May! It's my first bullpen since surgery, 94 miles. Roberts, a very encouraging day for Ohtani
Shohei Ohtani playing bullpen pitching. AP Yonhap News
Ohtani plans to replace minor rehabilitation with a simulation game when he reaches the stage of adaptation to the real game after passing the bullpen pitching stage. In other words, even if the season begins as well as the exhibition game in March, there is no need to go down to the minor leagues and engage in rehabilitation pitching.




According to MLB's rules for both pitching and hitting, Ohtani can be transferred to the minor league rehabilitation list without being listed on the injured list, but the Dodgers cannot send him to the minor leagues because he has to use him as a designated hitter every day.

Dodgers pitching coach Mark Pryor "We've set up simulation games early for players in rehabilitation. There are several versions. We don't know exactly who will be sitting on the bench at the away game or who will bring minor league hitters to the home game like before.

Pitcher Ohtani's last real game was Game 1 of a doubleheader against the Cincinnati Reds at Angel Stadium on Aug. 24, 2023, when he was with the Los Angeles Angels. Ohtani, who played as a starting pitcher and second batter, started smoothly in the top of the first inning with a three-out strikeout and two strikeouts, hitting a two-run homer to right-center in his first at-bat with no outs in the bottom of the first inning.




However, in the top of the second inning, Spencer Steer was walked, Joey Votto was caught on a fly to shortstop, and Gap-ja voluntarily withdrew after complaining of arm pain. It was his last game on the mound wearing an Angels uniform. Ohtani, who ended the season as a batter due to radiate muscle pain in early September, said goodbye to the Angels on September 21 after undergoing right elbow ligament reconstruction, or TJS.

I see 100 miles back in May! It's my first bullpen since surgery, 94 miles. Roberts, a very encouraging day for Ohtani
Shohei Ohtani, a pitcher during his time with the Los Angeles Angels. AP Yonhap News
I see 100 miles back in May! It's my first bullpen since surgery, 94 miles. Roberts, a very encouraging day for Ohtani
Otani is throwing a bullpen session with Roberts and fellow pitchers watching. AP Yonhap News
Despite receiving TJS for the first time in five years since the fall of 2018, Ohtani became an FA and wore a Dodgers uniform, setting a 10-year, $700 million record in sports history. Last year, only the batter Ohtani stepped on the ground and achieved the first 50 home runs and 50 steals in history, and unanimously won the third MVP of his career. Nevertheless, he constantly underwent pitching rehabilitation.

The possibility of playing in the postseason was also raised last year, but he did not overdo it. However, in the second game of the World Series against the New York Yankees, he got on base with a walk in the seventh inning and then slid to the second base, injuring his left shoulder and eventually underwent surgery. This is why this year's return to the mound has been postponed until after May, not the opening game.

However, after seeing Ohtani's first bullpen pitching on the day, Roberts said, `I hope there will be a situation in which Ohtani can throw in the real game in the near future.' Earlier, Roberts said pitcher Ohtani's comeback was in May. There seems to be no return within at least April, but there is a big difference between early, mid, or late May. This is because the Dodgers decided to change their original plan and operate a five-man rotation until Ohtani joins.



This article was translated by Naver AI translator.