Shohei Ohtani is set to face live hitters on Saturday for the first time since undergoing right elbow surgery in September 2023. The Los Angeles Dodgers star will throw batting practice at Citi Field before their game against the New York Mets. This marks a major milestone in his rehab as he works toward pitching again, with a possible return to the mound expected around July. Ohtani, who last pitched in August 2023, recently added breaking balls to his training sessions after working mainly with fastballs and splitters. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said there’s no set pitch count or specific teammates he’ll face during the session, and emphasized that Ohtani’s recovery pace will be guided by his condition and doctor’s advice. As his pitching workload increases, there may be days when Ohtani doesn’t play as a designated hitter to avoid overexertion. Despite the rehab, Ohtani continues to perform well offensively, leading MLB with 17 home runs and 52 runs scored, while maintaining a .304 batting average and 1.053 OPS. Meanwhile, Dodgers pitcher Tyler Glasnow also made progress in his recovery, completing his first bullpen session since going on the injured list in April.
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