Shohei Ohtani notches 6 strikeouts in 3 simulated innings against live batters as he ramps up return to mound
By most accounts he looked pretty good.
Ohtani pitched three simulated innings against live minor league batters at Petco Park Tuesday afternoon prior to the NL West tilt between his Los Angeles Dodgers and the San Diego Padres.
Advertisement
Per MLB.com and The Athletic, Ohtani threw 44 pitches. Per The Athletic's Fabian Ardaya, Ohtani allowed one hit and one walk and threw a wild pitch. He recorded six of his nine outs via strikeout.
Here's video of a swinging strike to record the final out of his session:
Again, the effort was against minor league batters during batting practice. But it's another encouraging sign for the Dodgers and their fans eager to see the two-way superstar pitch in Dodger blue for the first time.
Tuesday's simulated innings were Ohtani's first on the mound since a May 31 session that went two innings. It was his third time overall throwing a live batting practice session and the first time he's exceeded two innings.
Advertisement
Ohtani's pitching work was previously limited to bullpen sessions that didn't involve batters.
So when will Ohtani actually pitch?
There were no immediate updates from the Dodgers after Ohtani's session on Tuesday. Roberts previously said after Ohtani's May 31 session that he'll need to reach "five or six" simulated innings before the Dodgers consider putting him into an actual baseball game.
Shohei Ohtani continues to progress on the mound, but a return timeline to pitching in an actual game remains unclear. (AP Photo/Joe Puetz)
(ASSOCIATED PRESS)
'[He] used his entire mix, take some hitters up, down and came out of it well, which is most important,' Roberts said on May 31. 'I think he wishes his command would have been a little bit better. But a really positive day for Shohei.
Advertisement
'You still got to get to five or six innings, so we still got a ways to go. … I didn't ask what the velocity was, I would think a safe guess is somewhere in the mid 90s.'
Ohtani hasn't pitched in a game since August 23, 2023, when he was a member of the Los Angeles Angels. He underwent surgery a month later for the second time to repair the ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow. He previously underwent Tommy John surgery in 2018.
Ohtani signed with the Dodgers the following offseason and earned his third MVP after a historic 50-50 season at the plate. The Dodgers went on to a World Series championship, Ohtani's first.
Ohtani's off to another sensational start at the plate that includes an NL-best 23 home runs through Monday. But his return to the mound is still unclear as his absence approaches the two-year mark.
Advertisement
A 40-27 Dodgers team leading a tight race in the NL West could certainly use the pitching services of Ohtani, who's at an All-Star level at his best. But don't expect them to throw caution to the wind.
They won't put Ohtani on the mound until they and their medical staff are fully convinced that he's ready. In the meantime, the Dodgers and their fans can take solace in Ohtani's quest for a fourth MVP at the plate.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
24 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Falcons sign RT Kaleb McGary to two-year, $30 million extension
According to a report from NFL insider Jordan Schultz, the Atlanta Falcons are signing right tackle Kaleb McGary to a two-year, $30 million extension. McGary was entering the final year of his contract. The extension now keeps him in Atlanta through the 2027 season. The Falcons selected McGary in the first round of the 2019 NFL draft out of Washington. After getting off to a slow start his rookie year, McGary has developed nicely over the last five seasons. The 30-year-old is a dominant run blocker and has improved in pass protection. McGary's pass protection will be especially important now that the team has a left-handed quarterback in Michael Penix Jr. starting under center. It will be interesting to see how much cap space the Falcons may have cleared by extending McGary. Over the Cap listed the team with just under $5 million available prior to this signing. UPDATE: Falcons announce McGary's extension The Falcons officially announced McGary's signing shortly after Schultz reported it. With over 25 players set to hit free agency in 2026, the team made a wise move by locking up a key starter for two more seasons. Atlanta returned to practice on Monday. Rookies Jalon Walker and Xavier Watts were both out there after being restricted to individual drills over the late few practices. Head coach Raheem Morris said wide receiver Darnell Mooney (shoulder) will be out for a few more weeks. This article originally appeared on Falcons Wire: Atlanta Falcons: Kaleb McGary signing 2-year, $30 million extension
Yahoo
24 minutes ago
- Yahoo
BYU looking to fill unexpected hole at quarterback after Jake Retzlaff's offseason departure
PROVO, Utah (AP) — BYU is unexpectedly searching for a new starting quarterback while trying to contend for a Big 12 title again this season. Jake Retzlaff led the Cougars to an 11-2 record and an Alamo Bowl victory over Colorado a year ago while throwing for 2,947 yards and 20 touchdowns. With Retzlaff returning for his senior season, BYU was optimistic about building on that success in 2025. But he left the program in July. Retzlaff was named as a defendant in a since-dismissed civil lawsuit that accused him of sexual assault. He acknowledged what he described as a consensual sexual relationship in his defense. Following the lawsuit's dismissal, Retzlaff transferred to Tulane rather than face a potential suspension for violating a requirement in BYU's honor code asking students to abstain from premarital sex. His departure left a major hole in BYU's offense heading into fall camp. Three quarterbacks — McCae Hillstead, Treyson Bourguet, and Bear Bachmeier — have emerged as serious candidates to be the new signal caller. 'Luckily this staff has been through quarterback competitions many times before,' BYU coach Kalani Sitake said. 'The goal is to try to get these guys in situations where we can play football and see how they can function.' Hillstead and Bourguet have already spent a year in the program. Both players were buried on the depth chart behind Retzlaff and backup QB Gerry Bohanon after transferring into BYU last season. Each quarterback came to Provo with starting experience at their previous schools. Hillstead appeared in eight games, starting four, as a true freshman in 2023. He threw for 1,062 yards and 11 touchdowns while completing 59.5% of his passes. During his lone season with the Aggies, Hillstead set Utah State's freshman single-game passing record. He tallied 399 yards and four touchdowns on 25-of-47 passing in a 45-38 loss to James Madison. Hillstead is listed at 5-foot-10 and struggled to stay healthy at Utah State. But he's confident that his familiarity with the BYU playbook and his experience with the Aggies will help him overcome any perceived disadvantage with his height and smaller frame. 'You can't try to be anybody else other than yourself,' Hillstead said. 'Put that all on tape. Be your best self and try to go get it.' Bourguet played in 10 games over two seasons at Western Michigan before transferring to BYU in 2024. He threw for 1,314 yards and six touchdowns while completing 52.4% of his passes. The 6-foot-2 junior is feeling confident after having continuity for the first time in his football career. Bourguet had to adapt to new coaches and new offensive systems in all four years of high school football and both seasons at Western Michigan. 'This is most confident and comfortable I've been in a system my whole career,' Bourguet said. Bachmeier did not play a snap for Stanford, transferring from the Cardinal to the Cougars after spring practices. The 6-foot-2 true freshman is trying to follow in the footsteps of his older brother, Hank, who won the starting job as a freshman at Boise State. Hank Bachmeier eventually made 48 career starts in stints at Boise State, Louisiana Tech, and Wake Forest, tallying 11,256 yards and 67 touchdowns over six seasons. The younger Bachmeier looks at his older brother as his primary mentor as he tries to make his own mark. 'He's obviously played a lot of ball, he's got a lot of experience,' Bachmeier said. 'So I'm just trying to be a sponge with him. Obviously, he's passing down a lot of knowledge to me and I'm trying to soak it up as much as I can.' Sitake and offensive coordinator Aaron Roderick split first-teams reps evenly between Hillstead, Bachmeier, and Bourguet in the first fall practice. Their preference is to name a starter quickly, but they also don't want to rush their evaluation period ahead of the season opener at home against Portland State on August 30th. 'I know that we can wait until the first game, but we'd like to get it sorted out as soon as we can,' Sitake said. 'You can't really put a deadline to it. It's not like we have to have this much done in day one, day two, or day three. I just like to see them go with the flow of the offense.' ___ AP college football: and
Yahoo
24 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Take a closer look during Tuesday's Red Sox game. It will be a milestone for women
Take a closer look during Tuesday's Red Sox game. It will be a milestone for women. For the first time in Red Sox history, the entire game will feature an all-female broadcast team and the first all-female broadcast booth, NESN officials said in a statement on Monday. Portland Sea Dogs announcer Emma Tiedemann and NESN's Emmy award-winning reporter Alanna Rizzo will handle play-by-play and color, respectively, network officials said. NESN reporter Kasey Hudson, who joined the network first in a role sponsored by Women of NESN, will take on sideline duties. The night's coverage will also feature an all-female studio team anchored by NESN's WooSox and Hockey East reporter Natalie Noury with The Athletic's Jen McCaffrey as analyst. Veteran Red Sox producer Amy Kaplan will be at the helm of the game production, while producer Anna Gregoire will lead the studio production. The milestone event will happen during Women's Celebration Night at Fenway Park on Tuesday. Tuesday's first pitch against the Kansas City Royals is slated for 7:10 p.m. with the game available on NESN and NESN 360. The all-female on-air team and booth are part of the Women of NESN initiative that aims to elevate 'the voices and talent of women in sports media.' During the Red Sox Women's Celebration game last year, Tiedemann and Rylee Pay, who also was with the Sea Dogs at the time, joined the broadcast booth, the first time an all-female team called a Red Sox game. This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available. Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW
