Shohei Ohtani is eyeing a return to the mound as early as this Sunday, a massive move if everything goes according to plan. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts put it out there: Ohtani could be starting when they close out their road series against the Detroit Tigers. If you’ve been watching, you know this dude’s been working his tail off, and the anticipation for him to pitch again is absolutely through the roof.
The Progress Report You Need to See
Ohtani’s comeback trail has been a steady march, showing serious dedication. He started with the plyo balls, then graduated to long toss, and moved into bullpen sessions. Now, he’s been throwing live batting practice, facing actual hitters, which is a huge step! He is even lined up for a second live batting practice session or another bullpen this week. That could be the final hurdle before he finally steps onto the rubber in a real game. Roberts mentioned that if Ohtani feels good after Wednesday’s session, he might jump straight into Sunday’s action. When he does come back, he is expected to pitch one or two innings, just like he did last year returning from his torn UCL. It is wild to think how much he is pushing, but that is Ohtani for you.
The High Stakes of a Hot Return
Here’s where things get interesting, and you gotta wonder about the full picture. There is this whole conversation brewing around how healthy Ohtani actually is and how much of that is being kept under wraps because the postseason is coming fast, and his window to fully ramp up is closing. The source implies Ohtani might play through some discomfort to pitch as much as possible in the short term. The Dodgers are on a serious tightrope here: they need Ohtani to contribute to their three-peat goal, but they also have to protect him for the long haul. Roberts always says that if it were up to Ohtani, he would be out there every single game, pitching like a regular starter. Given his insane production this year and everything on the line, it sounds like they might actually let him do just that.
A lot can still change before Sunday, especially with him playing every day as a hitter. Any base running could tweak something, but honestly, he has been on the field constantly with no setbacks for weeks. This weekend could be an absolute show, with Ohtani facing the Tigers. You do not want to miss it, because the stakes are through the roof for everyone involved.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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