Shohei Ohtani is moving ever closer to his first pitching appearance for the Los Angeles Dodgers. Manager Dave Roberts said Tuesday there’s now a chance his fans might not even have to wait until the All-Star break.

Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani pitched a three-inning simulated game on Tuesday, increasing optimism about his return to the mound in the major leagues.

For the first time since Shohei Ohtani put on a Los Angeles Dodgers uniform, it finally feels like his return to pitching is close. On Tuesday, Ohtani took a major step in his recovery, throwing a three inning simulated game against minor leaguers at Petco Park ahead of the Dodgers' second game of their series against the San Diego Padres.