Overview
- Ohtani played catch on the field after a more-than-two-week shutdown, a step reporters saw on Saturday that restarted his throwing progression with plyometrics and throws out to about 90 feet.
- He has not pitched since a July 3 start and was shut down after a full bullpen on July 22 because of lingering left-knee soreness and a later left biceps issue.
- The team plans a staged sequence of long toss, bullpen sessions, live hitters and mound work before game action, with early- to mid-September described as an ideal but uncertain target to resume pitching.
- Dodgers leadership say they will limit his workload on return, treating any innings as a bonus, and president Andrew Friedman expects Ohtani can pitch again this season if the progression goes well.
- Ohtani continues to hit at an elite level, which keeps his MVP case alive and lets the Dodgers manage rotation needs now while preserving his availability and impact for October.