Shohei Ohtani, the Los Angeles Dodgers superstar, has been making strides in his recovery from Tommy John surgery. He recently shared that he has started throwing from 60 feet and has already reached 80 mph. Ohtani mentioned his plan of progressively increasing the distance of his throws, aiming for around 60-70 pitches, to see how far he can push himself in the recovery process.
Ohtani underwent elbow surgery last September while with the Los Angeles Angels, following a successful season where he went 10-5 with a 3.14 ERA and 167 strikeouts in 132 innings. Due to his recovery, he has been limited to hitting this season but is on track to have one of the best offensive years of his major league career. As of now, Ohtani leads the majors in batting average (.336) and total bases (131) in 53 games as the Dodgers’ designated hitter. He also stands at the top of the National League in slugging percentage, OPS, and OPS+.
Playing Through Injury
Despite his outstanding offensive performance, Ohtani has been dealing with a hamstring contusion that he sustained from a pickoff throw. While the injury has affected his running, he has been able to continue playing as a designated hitter. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts has advised Ohtani not to push his hamstring too much, emphasizing the need for caution. Ohtani, however, assured that the injury has not impacted his swing and that he is gradually seeing improvement in his condition.
As Ohtani progresses in his recovery journey, there is optimism surrounding his potential return to the mound. With his dedication and commitment to the rehabilitation process, it is only a matter of time before he is back showcasing his talents as both a pitcher and a hitter in the MLB. Fans and teammates alike eagerly anticipate Ohtani’s full return to the game, where he can once again shine on both offense and defense.
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