And soon, fans will get to see that on-field mastery firsthand once more, as the three-time MVP is further along working back from his UCL injury and is set to throw his first BP against live batters this weekend at Citi Field, as explained by Fox Sports MLB reporter Deesha Thosar.

“Shohei Ohtani will pitch to major-league hitters tomorrow for the first time since 2023,” Thosar wrote. “He’s set to throw a live BP at Citi Field. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said everyone is anxious to see how his stuff plays.”

Though he hasn’t pitched in a game since 2023, Ohtani was as advertised on the mound during his run in Anaheim, holding a 38-19 record with an ERA of 3.01 over 481.2 innings pitched. Ohtani could top 100 MPH with his heater, and has been trying out sliders and curveballs during his bullpen sessions with the Dodgers.

Locked in as the Dodgers’ DH in 2025, Ohtani has been among the best offensive players in all of MLB, leading the league in home runs and total runs in addition to 11 stolen bases and a batting average of .304. He’s hitting for power, hitting for average, and has remained a certified weapon when he gets on base, as his advantageous base running has clearly proved. Factor in his ability to help out a starting pitching unit that, for the umteenth year in a row, desperately needs some support and the best player in the NL has the potential to be even better for a team with World Series aspirations.