Shohei Ohtani threw his first bullpen session in a month on Saturday, but the reigning National League MVP still has plenty to do before he takes the mound for the Los Angeles Dodgers. Ohtani threw more than 20 pitches in the bullpen at Dodger Stadium after throwing long toss in the outfield.

Ohtani the pitcher is working his way back from his September 2023 elbow surgery. On Saturday, he returned to the mound and threw his first bullpen session since Feb. 25. Ohtani hit pause on his mound work in spring training to focus on his preparation as a hitter, but now that the regular season is underway, he's resumed working on his pitching.

Ohtani throws first bullpen session in a month on Saturday, but manager Dave Roberts says Ohtani still has “awhile” to go in his pitching rehab.

Ohtani went 2-or-4 with a solo home run and an additional run scored in Thursday's 5-4 victory versus the Tigers. Ohtani provided a key insurance run in the seventh inning with a solo blast to left field.

The pregame festivities began with a blue carpet that stretched all the way from center field to the infield, a royal procession for the reigning champions. Fireworks cracked, smoke billowed, and the stars—both on and off the field—delivered a spectacle that was as much a celebration as it was a baseball game.

Teoscar Hernández hits a three-run home run and Tommy Edman and Shohei Ohtani each hit solo home runs as the Dodgers hold on to defeat the Detroit Tigers 5-4.