Dodgers’ Dave Roberts Doesn’t Know Next Steps in Shohei Ohtani’s Pitching Progression
Los Angeles Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani is currently on a tear, hitting .305 with a 1.059 OPS. However, the reigning NL MVP is still working his way back to the mound.
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Ohtani threw his regularly scheduled bullpen over the weekend in Phoenix. Manager Dave Roberts observed the session in the visitors’ bullpen at Chase Field, but is uncertain what the next step is for Ohtani.
“I thought he threw the baseball well,” Roberts said. “I still don’t know what the next progression is, but as of today, today was a good day for Shohei.”
Ohtani has yet to add his slider into his throwing sessions and won’t face live hitters until he does. He has touched 95 mph in the bullpen sessions, an indication that Ohtani is progressing well.
Because the dwindled Dodgers rotation is missing Tyler Glasnow and Blake Snell, the team has asked both Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Roki Sasaki to alter their schedules. Both right-handers pitched on five days rest this weekend against the Arizona Diamondbacks instead of their usual six.
Despite all the pitching injuries to the starting rotation, the Dodgers will not rush Ohtani’s return to the mound. He is not expected to make his pitching debut until after the All-Star break.
While the Dodgers superstar is still a ways away from a return, Roberts has envisioned how Ohtani can help the team on the mound.
“I’m trying to temper it, because I know that we’re being very methodical with this – clearly,” Roberts said. “But yeah, when you see the arm and see what he can do, you sort of – I put my head in the place of how he can help us right now. But (I’m) trying to be patient.”
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Photo Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images
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