PHOENIX — Shohei Ohtani played catch on Saturday before the Dodgers’ game against the Arizona Diamondbacks, his first time throwing a baseball outdoors in more than three weeks.

With only seven weeks remaining in the regular season, Ohtani is in a race against time as he tries to return to the mound for the playoffs.

The two-way player last pitched in a game on July 3. Citing continued soreness in his left knee, the two-way player skipped his final start before the All-Star Game.

Ohtani threw a bullpen session in Philadelphia on July 22 but experienced soreness in his knee and biceps.

This is a developing story and will be updated.