Shohei Ohtani took his most significant step to date in his rehab as a pitcher on Saturday, throwing his first official bullpen session of the year.

Despite not having thrown a single pitch since August 2023 due to a second major elbow ligament reconstruction, Shohei Ohtani already is qualified for two-way player status, a league official told The Athletic.

The Dodgers are hopeful that the real challenge for Shohei Ohtani this year won't be about his health, but rather his process of re-acclimating to the two-way role that made him a superstar.