Shohei Ohtani still has a long way to progress before he's ready to pitch for the Los Angeles Dodgers. But the two-way superstar took an important step in his recovery on Tuesday.
Ohtani threw breaking pitches for the first time during a throwing session before Tuesday's game versus the Arizona Diamondbacks, according to manager Dave Roberts. More specifically, he threw sliders while working from flat ground.
In previous workouts, Ohtani hadn't been permitted to throw any pitches besides fastballs and splitters while continuing to build strength without putting added stress on his surgically repaired right elbow.