Shohei Ohtani threw all fastballs during a 20-pitch bullpen session prior to Saturday's game, marking the first time that the three-time MVP had thrown off a mound since Feb. 25.
While Ohtani has continued to throw off flat ground in the interim, the month-plus break between proper pitching sessions added to the question of when exactly Ohtani might resume pitching duties in the big leagues, as a few weeks ago Dodgers manager Dave Roberts seemingly backed off the initial plan to have Ohtani pitching at some point in May.
Speaking with Bill Plunkett of the Orange County Register and other reporters yesterday, Roberts was still non-committal, saying “it’s going to be awhile” before Ohtani makes his pitching debut in a Dodgers uniform.
“I think you start with the natural progression of a bullpen,” Roberts said. “You’ve got to kind of mix in different pitches to then face hitters again. It’s a start. I don’t have a timeline. I don’t think anyone does. We’re a ways away.”
It has now been more than 19 months since Ohtani last pitched in a Major League game, as he sustained a right UCL tear during a 1 1/3-inning start for the Angels on August 23, 2023. The subsequent surgery that September meant that he wouldn’t be pitching during the 2024 campaign, though the normal timeline for UCL surgeries indicated that Ohtani would be ready to go for Opening Day 2025.
However, an unexpected roadblock emerged when Ohtani suffered a labrum tear in his non-throwing shoulder while trying to steal a base during the World Series, which led to an arthroscopic procedure on his left shoulder this past November. This injury wasn’t seen as too great an impediment to Ohtani’s return to pitching, and obviously not to his role as the Dodgers’ DH, as Ohtani has been able to hit normally this season.
If Ohtani was only a pitcher, in all likelihood he would be pitching in the majors right now, as he would’ve been able to proceed on a regular rehab timeline. But of course, nothing is normal when it comes to Ohtani and his unique status as a two-way superstar, as he and the Dodgers have balanced both his arm health along with his duties as a hitter.
For instance, he limited some throwing sessions last fall since Ohtani was naturally more focused on trying to help Los Angeles win a championship, and then the added wrinkle of his left labrum issue impacted his usual offseason prep.
Roberts said the month-long break from mound sessions was done in part to get Ohtani fully ramped up as a hitter for his team’s earlier start to the 2025 season, as the Dodgers and Cubs played two games in Japan on March 18-19 before the rest of the league kicked off action three days ago.
The manager also stressed again that “we still want him to pitch. He wants to pitch. I think he can handle it,” but also noted that the club has no reason or desire to rush Ohtani back to pitching.
“I think the question is how much do we need him right now and I think we’ve answered that,” Roberts said. “His health is paramount, most important. So whenever that time is and his buildup reaches its full maturation, he’ll pitch for us.”
L.A. has so many pitching options that the team is expected to move to a six-man rotation once some hurlers start returning from the injured list. Beyond the starting five of Blake Snell, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Tyler Glasnow, Roki Sasaki and Dustin May, the Dodgers will have even more than just a single sixth-starter option given how Clayton Kershaw, Tony Gonsolin, Emmet Sheehan and Ohtani are all expected to be back at various points in the 2025 season.
It is wholly unlikely that Los Angeles will have all nine rotation candidates healthy at once, but in the event of a slight pitching surplus, it’s a sign of the team’s depth that having Ohtani pitch is almost a luxury, on top of what he can contribute at the plate.
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The 2025 Milwaukee Brewers can now claim to own an impressive franchise record that's indicative of the success of the season so far. Now a new franchise record, the Brewers' 6-5 extra-inning win over the Cincinnati Reds on Saturday marked the team's 14th consecutive victory. Just when it looked like Milwaukee was about to fall for the first time in the month, the Brewers scored one in the ninth to tie the game and then had to wait until the 11th inning to hold on for the win. And the way the Brewers avoided defeat required plenty of luck as well. With one out and two runners on base, the Reds were in the process of turning a double play that would've won the game. However, the throw to first for the third and final out had too much on it and got by Cincinnati first baseman Spencer Steer. This allowed a run to cross home plate, tying the game 2-2. Then, in the 10th, Milwaukee took the lead thanks to the ball getting away from Jake Fraley in left field. While Fraley's error wasn't enough to secure the record-setting win, the game would end soon enough when the Brewers sent Andruw Monasterio to the plate at the top of the 11th. Entering the game with only one home run all season and just four in his career, Monasterio crushed a pitch to the fair side of the foul pole in left field. Monasterio's three-run shot became the game-winning blast despite Cincinnati almost mounting a comeback of their own by scoring a pair of runs themselves in the bottom of the inning. Milwaukee, still amid its amazing streak, is now 78-44 as the best team in baseball and holds a nine-game lead in front of the Chicago Cubs in the National League Central. Next up is one more at the Great American Ballpark on Sunday afternoon. And if the Brewers achieve another series sweep, they will look to increase their advantage in the division at Wrigley Field. But no matter when the streak comes to an end, this Brewers team is shooting for the most wins in a season. Ninety-seven wins is the goal to become the winningest regular-season Brewers team ever, surpassing the 2018 club. Just seven years ago, that 2018 Brewers team set a new standard for the franchise in terms of a top single-season win total, going 96-67 in the regular season before falling in the National League Championship Series. Before that, the only Brewers team to ever win a league championship was the 1982 squad, which won 95 games and the AL pennant before losing the World Series in seven games.
A 31-13 loss to the Baltimore Ravens dropped the Dallas Cowboys to 0-2 this preseason. While the records don't matter, it's still unsettling to see the Cowboys lose a game in such fashion. As was the case in their Week 1 loss to the Los Angeles Rams, the Cowboys were bullied at the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball. They also saw quarterback Joe Milton III continue to struggle with accuracy. The good news, however, was that several players stood out with solid individual play. Here's a look at which Cowboys graded the highest on offense and defense, according to PFF. Cowboys top-5 rated players on offense Princeton Fant, TE (83.4) Malik Davis, RB (74.6) Jonathan Mingo, WR (70.3) Deuce Vaughn, RB (67.1) John Stephens Jr., TE (66.2) The offense was responsible for just six points, but there were still some bright spots. Princeton Fant had a 33-yard reception and held his own in blocking. Malik Davis showed some burst when he was on the field, and Jonathan Mingo had an excellent catch to set up a field goal. Unfortunately, Mingo was injured on the play but has been one of the bright spots throughout the offseason. Cowboys top-5 rated players on defense Andrew Booth, CB (91.8) Troy Pride Jr., CB (83.8) Jack Sanborn, LB (79.2) Earnest Brown IV, DT (76.7) Kemon Hall, CB (75.6) Andrew Booth not only led the way on defense, but was the highest-graded player on the team. Two other cornerbacks, Troy Pride Jr. and Kemon Hall, made it into the top five as well. Linebacker Jack Sanborn and defensive tackle Earnest Brown IV were there as well. Sanborn had three tackles while Brown recorded two. —
Speculation swirled this week about a possible blockbuster trade between the Montreal Canadiens and Anaheim Ducks, but TSN/Forbes legal analyst Eric Macramalla was quick to pour cold water on the idea. The proposed deal centered around swapping top prospects: Montreal defenseman David Reinbacher and Anaheim forward Mason McTavish. On the surface, the trade has appeal. Reinbacher, a right-shot blueliner with legitimate top-pairing potential, would give the Ducks the kind of defensive cornerstone they’ve been searching for. Meanwhile, McTavish could provide the Canadiens with a much-needed second-line center behind Nick Suzuki, filling a hole that’s lingered for several seasons. But as Macramalla pointed out, the trade simply doesn’t add up for Montreal. Moving Reinbacher would leave the Canadiens dangerously thin on the right side of their defense, an area that already lacks long-term depth. While McTavish would be a strong addition, sacrificing a potential top-pairing defenseman is a price too steep for GM Kent Hughes to consider at this stage of the rebuild. Ultimately, while the concept may generate fan debate, Macramalla stressed that the Canadiens aren’t in a position to weaken their blue line just to address their center depth. For now, the deal “won’t work.” Fan Feedback: A Split Reaction Canadiens fans were quick to weigh in on the trade chatter, with opinions ranging from firm rejection to cautious interest. Some backed Macramalla’s stance, with one fan suggesting Montreal could use “other assets the Ducks would like” and another noting the Habs’ young defense core “will be a strength of the team for the next decade.” The Curfew Boys Podcast called it “1 step forward, 2 steps back.” Others saw more merit. One account argued he’d, “Do it one for one,” calling McTavish “more established at this point.” Another echoed that sentiment: “McT is a proven player, make the trade!!” Skeptics highlighted Reinbacher’s lack of NHL experience, and others questioned his durability. Meanwhile, Gord of Thunder took a playful shot at the concept, invoking The Princess Bride: “You never trade a defenseman with top pairing ability for a second line player — it’s inconceivable.” Even creative alternatives emerged, with one fan proposing a three-way deal involving Calgary. The verdict? While many fans respect McTavish’s value, most agree that giving up Reinbacher would leave the Canadiens with a hole too big to fill.
General manager Howie Roseman raised some eyebrows when he added not one, but two tight ends in free agency this offseason. As usual, there was a method to Roseman’s madness. The Philadelphia Eagles made their second trade in two weeks on Sunday, sending tight end Harrison Bryant to the Houston Texans for wide receiver John Metchie III and a swap of Day 3 draft picks. The move makes some sense for Philly’s tight end room, which is more solidified now than it was back in March. With Dallas Goedert’s contract situation now settled, and Kylen Granson seizing the TE3 spot in training camp, Bryant became an expendable trade asset. More intriguing is Philly’s developing situation at wide receiver, which has been unsettled beyond the starters since the start of OTAs. Metchie has untapped potential as a former teammate of DeVonta Smith at Alabama. The Texans made him the No. 44 overall pick in the 2022 draft, but he lost his entire rookie season after being diagnosed with Acute Promyelocytic Leukemia. He returned to the field in 2023 and has seen his role grow with the Texans over the past two seasons. Metchie has 40 career receptions in 29 games, and just one career touchdown. He now has a spot on Philly’s wide receiver depth chart for 2025, though, leaving several players in limbo entering Week 3 of the preseason. Which Eagles WRs are safe, panicking with John Metchie III entering the mix? Jahan Dotson panic meter: Low Metchie’s arrival shouldn’t impact Philly’s first-team offense. That includes Dotson, whose role as the WR3 behind A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith is solidified. Dotson will remain the fifth option in the passing game behind Brown, Smith, tight end Dallas Goedert and running back Saquon Barkley. Johnny Wilson panic meter: Medium Wilson finished 2024 as the Eagles’ No. 4 wide receiver, and there’s no reason to think he won’t resume that role this season. The Eagles like his size as a de facto tight end on the boundary, and he’s an unsung weapon for Barkley in the run game as a blocker. It’s unclear what the Eagles have planned for Metchie out of the chute, but Wilson has a niche role in the offense and shouldn’t be impacted much, if at all. Ainias Smith panic meter: Extremely High Philly’s former fifth-round pick is officially on notice. The Eagles were able to buy themselves some time with Smith last summer by placing him on injured reserve with a designation to return, but his time is running out with Metchie entering as the new WR5. An Eagles team that committed the fewest pass attempts in football last season will need to justify keeping six receivers, and while he’s shown some improvement and scored a TD against Cleveland in Saturday’s preseason game, Smith hasn’t done enough to earn that justification in camp. Darius Cooper panic meter: Moderately High We know the Eagles love Cooper, but the undrafted rookie had a rough game on Saturday vs. the Browns, along with the entire offense. Cooper was targeted on just one of his 13 passing snaps, per Pro Football Focus, and failed to make a catch. It’s not over for the training camp star out of Tarleton State, but the Eagles making a trade for Metchie barely 24 hours after the game is an ominous sign. Terrace Marshall Jr.: Very High Marshall brings some different elements to Philly’s offense with his size and speed, but he was slowed by an injury during training camp and has slipped down the depth chart after a buzzy start. Marshall will have to beat out Cooper between now and cut-down day on Aug. 26 to give himself a shot. Even so, there’s no guarantee the team will have a roster spot for him.