Shohei Ohtani’s Rehabilitation Progresses with 25-Pitch Bullpen Session

Major League Baseball player Shohei Ohtani took a significant step forward in his rehabilitation on the 14th, practicing pitching in the bullpen ahead of the game against the Atlanta Braves at their home stadium.

Ohtani, who underwent a second surgery to reconstruct ligaments in his right elbow in September of last year, has been continuing his rehabilitation as a pitcher while appearing in games as a designated hitter this season.

After resuming catch ball in March, Ohtani gradually increased the distance and has been practicing bullpen pitching since last month. His most recent bullpen session on the 14th marked his first in four days.

Ohtani began by throwing approximately 60 pitches in catch on the field, then mixed in some changeups in the bullpen, throwing 25 pitches – the most in his sixth bullpen outing since the surgery.

During the session, Ohtani was seen checking the ball data on a tablet, and at the end, after throwing a powerful ball, he tapped his glove with a smile on his face, appearing satisfied with the speed.

According to the club, Ohtani’s fastball speed topped out at 149.6 km/h, a promising sign in his rehabilitation progress.

Ohtani is expected to further advance his rehabilitation by practicing pitching in a real-life format against batters during the season, marking a significant step towards his full recovery.