Los Angeles superstar Shoe Hei Otani took a big step back to the mound. Over the weekend, Otani faced live batsman for the first time since undergoing surgery to repair his UCL in September 2023.
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The dominant NL MVP threw 22 pitches in five at-bats at Citifield on Sunday. A typical route for pitchers is to perform rehabilitation assignments after facing live hitters. But manager Dave Roberts explained why Otani couldn’t do the same.
“Obviously, accumulation is important,” Roberts said. “But he’s got five at-bats in the game.”
As the ‘ designated batsman, Otani plays an extremely routine role in the lineup, and the team cannot afford to lose him during his rehabilitation mission. The next step for the superstar is probably to face batsmen consistently.
Otani provided an update on how he felt about his performance on the mound.
“Overall, just looking at the overall execution made me feel really good,” Otani said through an interpreter. “It’s a really good first step and I look forward to the next step.
“I haven’t been thrown (to the batter) for a while so it’s good that I could feel like a pitcher,” Otani said. “I remembered a time when I had so many good memories as a pitcher.”
Ohtani’s pitching debut still appears to be far apart, but the latest updates portend a good for the exhausted rotation.
More news: ‘ Dave Roberts reveals when Michael Kopeck will return
Photo credit: Vincent Carchietta-Immagn Image
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