Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani threw his first live batting practice session on Sunday and he could be getting close to joining the starting rotation. Ohtani is not the only Dodgers pitcher who could be returning to the mound fairly soon. Roki Sasaki — who is dealing with a shoulder injury, is expected to begin a throwing progression next week, Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic reports.

“Dave Roberts said Roki Sasaki will start a throwing progression next week, a first step in him ramping back up,” Ardaya wrote on X, formerly Twitter.

Roberts' Sasaki update is crucial without question. Although Sasaki is likely still a few weeks away from returning, he is beginning to trend in an encouraging direction.

The Dodgers, of course, are simply hoping to have Sasaki ready for their expected postseason run.

Roki Sasaki's first season with Dodgers

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Sasaki was a highly-regarded free agent this past offseason. The transition from Japan to the big leagues has provided Sasaki with some challenges, however. The 23-year-old recorded a 4.72 ERA across eight outings before landing on the injured list. He struck out 24 hitters and walked 22 as well.

Sasaki's ceiling in MLB remains extremely high. He could become a Cy Young-caliber pitcher at some point down the road. It is clear that he is still making the adjustment overall, though. The injury certainly does not help matters, but it could work as a reset for Sasaki.

Sasaki does not have an official injury return date yet. The Dodgers will continue to closely monitor the situation and provide updates as they are made available.

On Sunday night, the Dodgers will play the Mets in New York. The Sunday Night Baseball affair is scheduled for 7:10 PM EST as Los Angeles looks to clinch a series victory (the series is tied 1-1 heading into Sunday's game).