The Los Angeles Dodgers’ game against the New York Mets was postponed Monday due to rain, but that didn’t stop Shohei Ohtani from getting in some work as he continues his recovery from elbow surgery.
Before Monday’s game was postponed (which was supposed to be made Tuesday as part of a doubleheader), Ohtani was in the visitors’ bullpen despite the rain. He then told reporters that last week he started throwing from 60 feet and had a speed of 80 mph.
“Just gradually increase the distance,” Ohtani said through an interpreter, via ESPN’s Jorge Castillo. “Usually somewhere between 60 and 70 places, at that distance. Just keep increasing the distance and the places, and see where that goes. I’m not quite sure how far I’m going to go, but that’s the progression. “
Ohtani is not expected to pitch for the Dodgers until next season after the surgical procedure he underwent last September. (Agent Nez Balelo and orthopedic surgeon Dr. Neal ElAttrache never specified whether or not Ohtani had undergone full Tommy John surgery, as the two-way star underwent in 2018.)
Still, his excellence on the mound was a major factor in the massive 10-year, $700 million contract he signed with the Dodgers in December.
He started pitching in March and could move up to pitching in simulated games in September, according to the Dodgers.
Before destroying his right elbow last season, Ohtani compiled a 3.14 ERA record and went 10-5 with 167 strikeouts in 132 innings. For his MLB career, he has a 3.01 ERA, a 38–19 record and 608 Ks in 481 2/3 innings (average of 11.4 per nine frames).
The two-time American League MVP is once again putting up MVP-caliber numbers as a hitter, leading the MLB with a .336 average along with a .621 slugging percentage and 1.024 OPS, 17 doubles, 13 home runs, 35 RBI and 13 stolen bases.
Ohtani has also been dealing with a bruised hamstring suffered after being hit with a pickoff throw last week. Due to the injury he has not missed a single match.
But he was also told not to put too much strain on his hamstring, which was evident in a triple he hit against the Cincinnati Reds on Saturday. If Ohtani had been able to run at full speed, he might have been able to hit an inside-the-park home run during the game.
Ohtani told reporters that the hamstring is “getting better by the day” but doesn’t believe it affects his swing despite hitting .211 (8-for-38) in his past 10 games.
