Adding sliders to his throwing regimen is the latest step toward Ohtani returning to the mound, which the Dodgers hope occurs near the MLB All-Star break.

The Dodgers' two-way superstar hasn't pitched in blue yet after tearing his UCL with the Angels in August of 2023. But after recovering from Tommy John surgery, Ohtani has continued to amp up his rehab work. On Saturday, Ohtani threw 50 pitches in his bullpen session, increasing from what had been a max of 35.

Shohei Ohtani might be the best baseball player on the planet, but for at least one at bat, he was bested by a backup catcher. The catcher, Venezuelan Jhonny Pereda, managed to strikeout the 3-time MVP in the eighth inning of the Dodgers 19-2 win against the Athletics on Thursday night.