Los Angeles Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani threw his first bullpen of spring training on Saturday, taking a step toward possibly pitching for the first time since 2023. The reigning World Series champion and National League MVP has not pitched in the big leagues since Aug.

Gonsolin had a marvelous 2022 All-Star campaign where he went 16-1, had a paltry 0.87 WHIP and an impressive 2.14 ERA. After a struggle the following year, Gonsolin was shut down in August 2023 and had Tommy John Surgery shortly thereafter.

The decision is partly a matter of comfort, with Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto accustomed to pitching essentially once a week dating back to their time in Japan. It also factored prominently, the Dodgers believe, into their ability to land phenom Roki Sasaki this winter — like his countrymen, Sasaki is used to pitching on a once-per-week schedule.

The Dodgers' plan to use a six-man rotation this season is on hold until one of the half-dozen, star right-hander Shohei Ohtani, returns to the mound in May, according to the team's president of baseball operations.

The Los Angeles Dodgers have just a little more than a month to go before they battle the Chicago Cubs in their season-opening series in Tokyo, Japan. Legions of fans naturally want to see countryman Shohei Ohtani pitch during this two-day spectacle.

Shohei Ohtani is throwing at the Dodgers' spring training complex in Glendale, but fans shouldn't expect to see him back on the mound, in real competition until May. He's still recovering after an elbow surgery to repair at UCL tear from back in 2023,