Shohei Ohtani took another step toward joining the Los Angeles Dodgers as a pitcher on Saturday afternoon. Prior to their game against the Philadelphia Phillies, Ohtani threw a 26-pitch bullpen session, his second since resuming his throwing program last week. He threw splitters during Saturday’s bullpen for the first time as part of his build-up.

“It’s a week [between bullpens], but then there’s also the one in between, where he touches the mound on a Thursday,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said about Ohtani’s timetable. “And I think it’s just more trying to keep him on a similar seven-day program, and what the schedule would look like going out, and build from there.”

The Dodgers still have not finalized a timetable for Ohtani’s return to game action as a pitcher. For a normal pitcher, it usually involves a six-week build-up from throwing bullpens to pitching in MLB games. Ohtani’s situation is unique because he also has to manage his hitting, and the team is careful in their approach to his recovery. Their priority remains ensuring he can pitch during the postseason, not rushing him back in May or June.

Ohtani, who has been recovering from elbow surgery in September 2023, had temporarily halted his throwing program to focus on hitting preparations ahead of the regular season. Now, with the season in full swing, he has resumed throwing, and reintroducing splitters to his pitching mix is a significant milestone.

In 2023, the last time he pitched, Ohtani recorded a 3.14 ERA in 132 innings with 167 strikeouts, demonstrating his substantial potential as both a pitcher and a hitter. His remarkable talent was emphasized when he became the first player in history to achieve a 50/50 season, winning his third MVP award in the process.