​Shohei Ohtani last threw off a mound on July 22 in Philadelphia. If MLB‘s most famous two-way player has thrown a baseball since then, he’s done so out of sight of the media that follow his and the Los Angeles Dodgers’ every move.That changed on Saturday, Aug. 8, when Ohtani played catch before the Dodgers’ game against the Arizona Diamondbacks in Phoenix.Ohtani was at least a candidate to receive National League Cy Young Award votes, if not win the award, when injuries limited him to hitting duties after his July 3 start against the San Diego Padres.MORE: Dodgers trade for 2 former catchers immediately before MLB deadlineIn 14 starts this season, Ohtani is 8-2 with a 1.79 ERA. The Dodgers don’t necessarily need Ohtani on the mound to repeat as World Series champions. However, getting him back would boost an already star-studded rotation — and bolster Ohtani’s chances to win the NL Most Valuable Player award.Ohtani was removed from the game against the Padres earlier than expected. He had been dealing with pain his in left knee for at least a month at the time. Manager Dave Roberts told reporters that the knee injury indirectly led to a biceps issue. MORE: Dodgers to acquire injured All-Star who hasn’t played since MayOther than throwing a full bullpen in Philadelphia, he has made little progress since.Playing catch is a small sign of progress. Any sign of progress for the two-time defending MVP is major news as the Dodgers hope to have Ohtani operating at full capacity come October.MORE: Wife of Dodgers veteran has harsh reaction to trade rumorsAs their DH and leadoff hitter, Ohtani leads the National League in OPS (.952) and OPS+ (162), with 26 home runs, 73 runs, and 70 RBIs in 106 games.The Dodgers have lost seven consecutive games entering the second game of their three-game series against the division rival Diamondbacks at Chase Field. Ohtani is a bright spot on a team of slumping stars.Los Angeles is 69-47 and leads Arizona by a comfortable margin (7.5 games through Aug. 7).— Enjoy free coverage of the top news & trending stories with The Big Lead Newsletter —