QUEENS, NY — On a breezy afternoon at Citi Field, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts couldn’t help but smile as Shohei Ohtani stood on a big league mound—not in a game, but facing live hitters for the first time since undergoing Tommy John surgery last fall.
“Maybe the most important live BP in the history of baseball,” one reporter joked to open Roberts’ pregame media scrum before the Dodgers’ final game against the Mets. “Maybe,” Doc said with a wry smile. “It was good. It was fun to watch.”
Ohtani’s Progress: “He Was Having Fun With It”
Throwing 22 pitches with a wide mix—sweepers, cutters, two-seamers, four-seamers—Ohtani touched 97 mph in a controlled but intense session. Roberts said the two-way superstar appeared loose, light-hearted, and genuinely enjoying the moment, even as he sharpened his repertoire.
“I’m so used to seeing him as a hitter,” Roberts said. “To see him on the mound just solely as a pitcher—it was different and certainly exciting for all of us.”
Roberts noted that Ohtani’s stuff showed significant improvement from prior bullpen sessions. “It was a big jump today… but not surprising,” he said. “The competitor comes out. He still wants to get guys out.”
In addition to lefthanded hitting Dalton Rushing and Hyeseong Kim, member of the coaching staff J.T. Watkins stood in as one of the batters during the session, which included a punchout and a walk—with a playful bat flip to end the outing. “They’ve got a great relationship,” Roberts said. “JT volunteered to go in, and Shohei was more than happy to oblige.”
What Comes Next for Ohtani?
Roberts emphasized that while another live session could happen as soon as next weekend, it all depends on how Ohtani feels in the coming days. “That’s going to be the driver,” he said. “Obviously we can all speculate, but it’s contingent on how he comes out of this.”
There will also be more careful monitoring of how pitching affects Ohtani’s workload as a hitter. “The velocity and pitch count brought more intensity today,” Roberts said. “We’ll be mindful of how that affects tonight’s game.”
Still, Roberts confirmed that Ohtani would DH in Saturday’s contest as usual.
Chris Stratton Joins Pen, Mookie Betts at SS
The Dodgers also made a roster move ahead of Saturday’s game, optioning Bobby Miller and activating right-hander Chris Stratton, just obtained via the waiver wire from the Royals. Roberts described Stratton as a “neutral guy” capable of multiple innings, filling the role previously held by Matt Sauer.
On Mookie Betts’ continued development as a full-time shortstop, Roberts had high praise. “He’s playing a tick above major league average, which is amazing considering he just took this position up,” he said. “He’s only getting better.”
While Betts has continued to flash elite defensive instincts, Roberts acknowledged that the bat hasn’t clicked yet this season. “He’s grinding,” Roberts said, noting that mechanical adjustments and earlier illness may have contributed to the inconsistency.
Injury Updates: Some Optimism, Some Concern
Roberts shared a mix of hopeful and concerning injury updates:
- Roki Sasaki is expected to begin a throwing progression next week.
- Kirby Yates has resumed playing catch.
- Michael Kopech threw an inning Saturday and looked “really good.”
- Blake Snell remains in the early stages of throwing, reportedly reaching 90 feet.
- Evan Phillips, however, has not yet resumed playing catch. “It’s starting to get a little concerning,” Roberts admitted. “We’re hoping for the best, but it still doesn’t feel correct.”
Facing Senga and Moving Forward
As the Dodgers prepared to face Kodai Senga in the series finale, Roberts deferred strategy details to the hitting coaches—half-joking that even if he knew the plan, he wouldn’t say.
While much of the focus remains on daily game execution, there’s no denying that the return of Ohtani the pitcher is beginning to feel real.
“If it works out as it should,” Roberts said, “he’s a top-end starter. That’s all of our expectations.”
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