Shohei Ohtani just took a big step forward in his pitching progession. The Los Angeles Dodgers' two-way superstar threw 34 pitches in a bullpen session at Dodger Stadium on Friday, Aug. 14 in his most significant ramp-up since July 22, when he experienced a setback that caused the Dodgers to "dial back" his rehab from left knee soreness. Ohtani has not pitched in a game since July 3 as he's managed discomfort in his left knee and right bicep, but he began playing catch on Saturday, Aug. 8 in Arizona and threw on the field every day over the past week before taking his first bullpen session in almost a month on Friday afternoon. "A lot of it, we just need to take our time and see if he comes in feeling good tomorrow, and then OK, what’s the next step?" Dodgers general manager Brandon Gomes told The Athletic's Fabian Ardaya. "A lot of it is just how he’s bouncing back, and do we think it’s prudent to keep progressing?"
Shohei Ohtani is throwing a bullpen session. pic.twitter.com/F8mW1SkBhb — Fabian Ardaya (@FabianArdaya) August 14, 2026 Ohtani reportedly mixed both his fastball and offspeed stuff in his session on Friday. Manager Dave Roberts told reporters earlier in the week that Ohtani's bullpen program will likely consist of "a few" full sessions throwing off the mound before he progresses to face live hitters. Once he's at that point, it's entirely possible that Ohtani could only throw one simulated game before making his return to in-game action. If he were to pitch again sometime in September, the Dodgers could opt to build Ohtani's workload back up slowly, one inning at a time like they did a year ago when he returned from a second major elbow surgery. But more than anything, they want to be sure his knee is comfortable enough to the point where it's manageable. "Rather than rush the progression of this, I would rather make sure we’re headed in the right direction,” Ohtani told reporters through interpreter Will Ireton on Aug. 5. "But making sure we’re taking the right steps." This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Shohei Ohtani throws bullpen session as pitching progression ramps up