Shohei Ohtani made his spring debut on the mound today, according to Fabian Ardaya from The Athletic. During this initial bullpen session, he threw 14 fastballs, clocking in at 92-94 mph. While this is lower than his typical mid-90s speed, it’s to be expected as he’s still a few months away from his return to Major League action.

For Los Angeles Dodgers fans, the update that Ohtani has begun throwing again and showed good form is undoubtedly uplifting. However, his projected timeline for returning to the rotation has not changed. It appears the Dodgers are aiming for Ohtani to be part of their starting lineup in May, with a five-man rotation leading up to that point. Manager Dave Roberts has also suggested that Ohtani could start facing live hitters before the team heads to Tokyo for their season opener against the Cubs next month, as noted by Ardaya.

While initial signs of Ohtani’s recovery process are promising, numerous uncertainties still exist before he pitches in an official game for the Dodgers. Balancing his rehabilitation as a pitcher with his role as the team’s everyday designated hitter poses a unique challenge for the organization. This scenario mirrors the difficulties faced by the Angels back in 2020 when Ohtani tried to return to pitching after Tommy John surgery, a situation that did not end well as he managed just five outs and had his only subpar hitting season.

Interestingly, it looks like the Dodgers won’t be assigning Ohtani to a minor league rehab stint prior to his pitching comeback. Typically, rehab assignments are standard procedure for pitchers recovering from significant surgeries. However, Ardaya points out that the Dodgers have successfully integrated Clayton Kershaw back into the MLB without a prior rehab assignment. According to pitching coach Mark Prior, balancing rehab work with hitting has “turned out pretty well” for last year’s National League MVP. Instead of a formal rehab stint, the plan seems to involve simulated games for Ohtani before the day’s scheduled games, giving him the opportunity to face live hitters, such as those from the major league bench or minor league players.

As Ohtani and the Dodgers navigate these challenges, he aims to recover fully from offseason shoulder surgery. Ohtani suffered this injury while sliding into second base during Game Two of last year’s World Series, ultimately requiring surgery to fix a torn labrum after dislocating his shoulder. Comparatively, former Dodgers outfielder Cody Bellinger experienced significant struggles returning to form after a similar shoulder injury. Ardaya mentions that Ohtani has reported some limited shoulder mobility even as camp kicks off. Nevertheless, with a month remaining before the Dodgers’ opening game in Tokyo, he has ample time to refine his swing while concurrently managing his pitching rehab.

Ohtani wasn’t the sole player to receive a significant injury update today. As reported by Bill Plunkett from the Orange County Register, veteran first baseman Freddie Freeman shared that he is “almost a full player” in his recovery journey following offseason ankle surgery. Freeman has resumed almost all activities except running and, while he might not be ready for the start of Spring Training games, he remains optimistic about being in the lineup for the Dodgers in Japan at the beginning of the season.