Shohei Ohtani throws a bullpen session for the Dodgers, edging closer to a return to pitching

Shohei Ohtani took another step toward returning to pitching. The Los Angeles Dodgers two-way star threw a short bullpen session on Friday, according to FOX Sports, as the club continued to map out his progression toward being back in a starter or midgame bullpen capacity rather than limited work elsewhere.

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts described the session in broad terms before Los Angeles began a series against the Detroit Tigers. Roberts said he believed it was “like 20 pitches” but added that he did not closely monitor the details himself, indicating the team is treating the workout as part of a broader build rather than a single benchmark with immediate public certainty.

For the Dodgers, Ohtani’s move toward the mound is significant beyond the novelty of his two-way profile. Even when a player is not in an active starting rotation, Ohtani’s presence tends to change bullpen usage and lineup planning because opponents prepare for both his batting and the unique run-prevention angles he can create as a pitcher. When a roster carries that kind of option, pitching depth is not just a matter of innings. It is also about matchups and how long managers feel comfortable leaning on certain arms.

From a baseball standpoint, a short bullpen session like this is usually designed for feel and mechanics, not volume. The fact that the Dodgers are publicly acknowledging it, and that the manager framed it as another step toward a return to pitching, suggests the club is satisfied with how Ohtani handled the workload in that stage of the process. Still, Roberts’ comments also underline that the session should not be treated as a promise of what comes next, because pitch counts and progression plans can change based on how a player responds immediately and over the following days.

The timing also matters because Los Angeles is working through a season stretch where roster flexibility and pitching management become sharper. A series against a division opponent like Detroit provides managers with a near-term chessboard, and teams often prefer to know how their key players fit into the plan before the most important bullpen matchups. While nothing in the FOX Sports report specifies an exact date for Ohtani to pitch in a game, the session’s existence indicates the Dodgers are continuing to move him through a step-by-step runway.

There is an additional layer unique to Ohtani: he is not simply a pitcher returning from a pitching-only development plan. He is a two-way star whose daily routine is built around both throwing and hitting demands. That dual focus typically makes a “return to pitching” storyline more carefully managed, because the team must coordinate his workload so that pitching readiness and offensive rhythm do not conflict.

What to watch next for the Dodgers is straightforward but important. First, whether the club reports additional bullpen progressions, potentially with increases in workload over time. Second, whether Ohtani’s role shifts from throwing-focused work to an announced in-game pitching assignment. Finally, watch how the Dodgers adjust bullpen roles in the immediate series and in subsequent matchups, because even partial returns can alter which relievers see the late-inning leverage opportunities.