WATCH: Shohei Ohtani makes first throw off a mound since elbow surgery

Shohei Ohtani is recovering well from the elbow surgery he underwent last year, which forced him to give up pitching duties for the 2024 season. This season, the two-way superstar has been red-hot with the bat, playing exclusively as a designated hitter. However, Ohtani is also inching towards his return as a pitcher after throwing his first pitch off a mound in a bullpen session this weekend.

A short clip from the session was posted by the Talking Baseball podcast from Jomboy Media on their official profile on X.

On Saturday, the Los Angeles Dodgers were set to host the Tampa Bay Rays for the second meeting of their three-game series. During the pregame warmup, Shohei Ohtani visited the Dodgers bullpen wearing a #Maxstrong practice shirt with Freddie Freeman's name and number on the back.

Ohtani then moved up to the bullpen mound and stepped on the rubber to make his first pitch since he underwent Tommy John surgery on his throwing arm in 2023. Ohtani started his pitching motion from the stretch and fired his delivery. The result certainly pleased Ohtani, as he let out a small fist pump after completing his motion before shaking hands with the bullpen catcher.

Shohei Ohtani expected to be a two-way player again in 2025

Shohei Ohtani became the sixth player to join the 40-40 club (Photo Credit: IMAGN)

Shohei Ohtani signed a record-breaking 10-year, $700 million contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers at the start of the 2024 season. The Japanese superstar is in prime position to clinch his third MVP award in his first season with the team, even though he has not taken the mound since last year. As he is progressing well from his elbow surgery, Ohtani is expected to become a two-way player again in 2025.

At the moment, Ohtani is playing exclusively as a designated hitter this season, and he currently leads the National League in total bases, runs scored, slugging, OPS, and home runs. Therefore, he could become the first player in MLB history to win an MVP playing as a DH.

Meanwhile, Shohei Ohtani also joined the revered 40-40 club earlier this week to arguably seal his case as the most complete baseball player the game has ever seen. Ohtani cruised to the monumental feat with over a month remaining in the season. He is now within reach of an unprecedented 45-45 campaign and could even end up at the 50-50 mark when the regular season finishes.