Shohei Ohtani takes major step toward pitching return

LOS ANGELES — The Dodgers are beginning to see the shape of their pitching staff come into focus, and the biggest piece of the puzzle may finally be nearing its return.

Shohei Ohtani took another significant step toward pitching again Saturday, throwing 30 pitches and facing six batters in a live batting-practice session. Dave Roberts called the workout “really positive,” and said Ohtani will likely need one more live session before the club clears him to appear in a game.

“We’re getting close,” Roberts said.

Jon Endow-Imagn Images

Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Shohei Ohtani (17) walks off the mound following the second inning against the San Diego Padres at Dodger Stadium.

That is perhaps the most encouraging update yet for a Dodgers team that has been carefully managing Ohtani’s return after his left-knee issues interrupted his pitching progression. Ohtani has not pitched in a game since July 3, and the Dodgers have resisted putting a timetable on his return. Now, with live hitters in the picture, the finish line is beginning to come into view.

The only thing standing between Ohtani and a game appearance may be one more box to check.

And, as Roberts noted, Ohtani himself would probably prefer to skip the waiting altogether.

“If it were up to Shohei,” Roberts said, “he’d be in a game in a few days.”

The Dodgers are also preparing for another important addition to the rotation. Tyler Glasnow is scheduled to start Tuesday in Atlanta, marking his return after a lengthy absence. Glasnow's rehab work has gone well enough that the Dodgers appear comfortable bringing him back into a rotation that has needed reinforcements down the stretch.

The pitching staff will look considerably different once several injured arms return.

Justin Wrobleski, when activated in September, will not immediately return to a traditional starting role. Roberts said the plan is for Wrobleski to work as a two- to three-inning reliever, giving the Dodgers another multi-inning option while allowing them to manage his workload.

Edwin Díaz will also be eased back into the bullpen.

Roberts said Díaz will receive a “softer landing” when he returns in September. Rather than immediately throwing him into the highest-leverage situations, the Dodgers would prefer to use Díaz in lower-leverage spots and gradually build him back toward the closer role.

For a team with October ambitions, the approach is straightforward: get the arms healthy first, then turn up the intensity.

The Dodgers' outfield is undergoing its own reshuffling after Andy Pages suffered a fractured hand. Surgery is on the table, according to Roberts, although the possibility of surgery is not expected to change Pages’ timetable. He is expected to miss at least four weeks but should have a chance to return before the end of the regular season.

In Pages’ absence, Alek Thomas is expected to get the first opportunity in center field against right-handed pitching. The Dodgers have yet to settle on their primary option against left-handers, with Tommy Edman and Kiké Hernández among the possibilities.

That creates another moving part for a club that has spent much of the season managing injuries while trying to keep its roster positioned for October.

Still, Saturday brought more positive news than uncertainty.

Glasnow is coming back. Wrobleski and Díaz are expected back in September. Pages has a path to return before the season ends. And Ohtani, perhaps the most consequential piece of all, has now faced live hitters and is one final session away from potentially returning to the mound.

The Dodgers aren't there yet.

But with Ohtani throwing to hitters and Roberts saying, “We’re getting close,” they may finally be able to see the finish line.