Shohei Ohtani, the Los Angeles Dodgers’ star player, was able to get some throwing work in on Monday despite the game against the New York Mets being postponed due to rain. Ohtani was in the visitors’ bullpen throwing pitches before Monday’s game was rescheduled for a doubleheader on Tuesday. He has been recovering from Tommy John surgery last September and is expected to pitch for the Dodgers next season.
Ohtani’s excellence on the mound played a significant role in his massive 10-year, $700 million contract with the Dodgers in December. The team is optimistic that he could progress to pitching in simulated games by September, although he is not expected to pitch until next season following reconstructive surgery last September.
Before his injury last season, Ohtani had a 3.14 ERA and a 10–5 record with 167 strikeouts in 132 innings. Throughout his MLB career, he has a 3.01 ERA, 38–19 record, and 608 strikeouts in 481 2/3 innings. He is currently leading the league with a .336 average, a .621 slugging percentage, and a 1.024 OPS, in addition to hitting 13 home runs, 35 RBI, and stealing 13 bases.
Despite sustaining a bruised hamstring earlier this season, Ohtani has not missed any games and has been advised not to push it too much during his recovery process. His recent triple against the Cincinnati Reds showed that he is improving daily but may need more time before returning to full speed on the bases.
