Shohei Ohtani Shatters Another MLB Record: Highlights, Stats & What’s Next

LOS ANGELES — Shohei Ohtani’s two-way comeback took its most encouraging turn yet on Sunday when the Los Angeles Dodgers star fired a live batting-practice session at Citi Field, the first time he has faced hitters since his 2023 elbow surgery. Manager Dave Roberts said Ohtani mixed sliders and curveballs during a 20-pitch set, drawing a crowd of Dodgers and Mets players who spilled onto the warning track to watch the event. Roberts cautioned that the two-time MVP is “at least a couple of months away” from pitching in a major-league game and projected a realistic mound return “sometime after the All-Star break,” though a minor-league rehab appearance is on the table if all goes well. While his right arm heals, Ohtani has continued to anchor the Dodgers’ lineup. He blasted his 11th home run of the 2025 season earlier this month against Arizona, sending a 113 mph laser 428 feet into the right-center-field seats. The blast helped solidify his place atop several National League leaderboards in OPS and stolen bases, remarkable numbers that follow last week’s history-making leap into MLB’s exclusive 50-homer/50-steal “51-51” club. Internally, the Dodgers believe the controlled BP session opens the door for Ohtani to progress to simulated games later in June. Trainers say the next checkpoint will be a pair of “up-down” bullpen outings that simulate in-game fatigue, after which the club will reassess his velocity and command metrics. The timeline matters: Los Angeles enters Memorial Day atop the NL West, and a post-All-Star break pitching boost from Ohtani could impact both the division race and the trade-deadline calculus. Roberts hinted the front office might tweak summer plans if the right-hander’s return stays on schedule, noting that “adding an ace without surrendering prospects is the best deadline deal you can make.” For Ohtani, the rehab grind doubles as fuel for another MVP bid. He currently ranks top-five in MLB in barrels per plate appearance and sprint speed, underscoring why sportsbooks still list him among the favorites despite not throwing an in-game pitch since 2023. The two-way sensation’s next scheduled step is a light bullpen mid-week in Los Angeles before the Dodgers fly to Denver. If the session is clean, expect another live BP during the club’s next road trip, inching Ohtani closer to the day baseball regains its most electrifying pitcher-slugger hybrid.