Shohei Ohtani of the Los Angeles Dodgers (31) pitched against a batter for the first time in 641 days.

The Japanese media outlet Sponichi Annex reported on the 26th (Korea time) that "Shohei Ohtani of the Los Angeles Dodgers successfully completed live pitching for the first time since undergoing elbow surgery in September 2023. It has been 641 days since he pitched against a batter following the game against Cincinnati on August 24, 2023. Aiming for a return to pitching in the second half after the All-Star Game, Ohtani has taken a significant step towards his return to the mound."

Ohtani is a two-way star player in Major League Baseball, with a career batting average of .282 over 925 games, 938 hits in 3,322 at-bats, 242 home runs, 598 RBIs, 615 runs scored, and 156 stolen bases, resulting in an OPS of .950. As a pitcher, he has recorded 38 wins and 19 losses over 86 games (481⅔ innings) with an earned run average of 3.01. He won the American League Rookie of the Year award in 2018, and was unanimously awarded the American League MVP in 2021 and 2023, as well as the National League MVP last year.

After undergoing elbow surgery in September 2023, Ohtani recorded a batting average of .310 in 159 games last season, with 197 hits in 636 at-bats, 54 home runs, 130 RBIs, 134 runs scored, 59 stolen bases, and an OPS of 1.036, achieving the first 50-home run-50-stolen base season in Major League history. Last year, he won the MVP while playing only as a batter, but he was able to secure the previous two MVPs due to his excellent performance as a two-way player.

Although Ohtani was expected to return as a pitcher this season, he delayed his recovery timeline after suffering a shoulder injury while stealing a base in Game 2 of the World Series last year. His planned appearance in the Tokyo Series last March did not happen, and now his timeline for a return is postponed after the All-Star Game.

However, Ohtani successfully completed a crucial step towards his return to pitching by managing his first live pitching on this day. Before the game against the Mets, Ohtani pitched against Kim Hae-sung, Dalton Rushing, and coach J.T. Watkins, striking out the first batter, Kim Hae-sung, with a ground ball. Rushing and Watkins were both struck out swinging, becoming Samjin.

Kim Hae-sung delivered a sharp hit to the right during his second at-bat. Sponichi Annex explained Kim Hae-sung's hit by stating, "Given that there were no fielders, voices suggesting 'a triple' emerged, but it actually appeared to be a single to right field." In his final at-bat against coach Watkins, he issued a walk.

Ohtani threw 22 pitches on this day, reaching a top speed of 97 mph. Manager Dave Roberts and pitching coach Mark Prior, among other coaching staff, observed Ohtani's pitching.

In response to a question on the 25th regarding whether Ohtani's return would be after the All-Star Game, manager Roberts said, "It seems likely. He is scheduled to pitch two innings in the first simulated game at the end of May. Theoretically, a starting pitcher should be able to pitch 5 to 6 innings. If that is the case, a return in the second half would be a natural progression. The possibility of it happening earlier is low."

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