Betts (illness) trending toward return for Dodgers opener - ESPN

ANAHEIM, Calif. — Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said he's «really encouraged» by the progress of Mookie Betts, who had been dealing with an illness that prevented him from keeping solid food down and prompted him to shed 18 pounds.

Betts went through a full workout at Dodger Stadium on Monday and is expected to play in the team's final exhibition game from Angel Stadium on Tuesday. Asked if Betts will play in the Dodgers' stateside opener on Thursday, a home matchup against Detroit Tigers ace Tarik Skubal, Roberts said: «I think so.»

Shohei Ohtani, meanwhile, is scheduled to get off a mound again on Saturday, at which point he will restart the process of building back up as a starting pitcher and eventually returning to a two-way role. The session will mark Ohtani's first time off a mound since Feb. 25, a 32-day respite that Roberts acknowledged might feel like essentially starting over.

Ohtani was progressing towards facing hitters last month, but the Dodgers essentially paused the pitching side of his rehab, Roberts said, because they wanted him to focus on opening the season as the team's designated hitter. The initial hope was that Ohtani might join the Dodgers' rotation at some time in May, but that remains to be seen.

Ohtani has continued to play catch and keep his arm active over these last four weeks. But he'd still have to get several bullpen sessions under his belt, then begin the process of throwing in simulated games — a traditional rehab assignment is not an option because the Dodgers want to keep him in their lineup — to build up enough for a starter's workload before returning as a two-way player. Roberts would not speculate how long that might take, but the Dodgers will clearly take their time.