LOS ANGELES -- A night after reaching 40-40 with a walk-off grand slam, Shohei Ohtani took a big step in his pitching rehab.

The two-way player threw off a mound Saturday for the first time since having elbow surgery in September. Prior to the Dodgers’ game against the Rays, Ohtani ventured to the home bullpen at Dodger Stadium and threw 10 pitches.

Dodgers officials have said repeatedly that Ohtani will not be available to pitch at any point this year, including in the postseason. Still, the brief bullpen session represented continued progress in his return to pitching.

Ohtani has been playing catch intermittently throughout the season, but had not yet thrown off a mound. He went 10-5 with a 3.14 ERA in 23 starts for the Angels last season before sustaining the elbow injury that would eventually require season-ending surgery.

It was his second major elbow surgery that cost him a season on the mound. He previously had Tommy John surgery in 2018 and did not pitch during the 2019 season.

Ohtani is batting .292/.378/614 with 40 home runs, 92 RBIs and 40 stolen bases while playing exclusively as a DH this season. He led off Saturday.