Yoshinobu Yamamoto said Sunday he is confident about returning from a shoulder injury before the end of the season.
“Of course,” he told Japanese reporters, with a chuckle.
However, neither the Dodgers nor their star Japanese right-hander have yet set a target date for Yamamoto’s return, leaving his status unclear as MLB’s July 30 trade deadline approaches.
“I just want to recover as quickly as possible,” Yamamoto said in Japanese, “and direct my rehabilitation in a way to make that happen.”
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While Yamamoto hasn’t pitched since June 15 because of a strained rotator cuff, he said he is now pain-free and has been extending the distance of his flat-ground long toss sessions.