PHILADELPHIA — Shohei Ohtani threw a 26-pitch bullpen session Saturday before the Los Angeles Dodgers’ game against the Philadelphia Phillies, another step toward his mound return.

Recovering from right elbow surgery on Sept. 19, 2023, the two-way star threw his second bullpen session since resuming his pitching ramp up. He paused after his mound session on Feb. 25 to prepare for opening day as a hitter, then threw a bullpen on March 29.

He incorporated splitters on Saturday.

“It’s a week, but then there’s also the one in between, where he touches the mound on a Thursday,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “And I think it’s just more trying to keep him on a similar seven-day program, and what the schedule would look (like) going out, and build from there.”

When Ohtani is ready for game pitching, the Dodgers plan to use a six-man rotation.

A three-time MVP and four-time All-Star, Ohtani is 38-19 with a 3.01 ERA and 608 strikeouts in 481 2/3 innings as a pitcher.

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