Shohei Ohtani took swings in the batting cage and did other baseball activities Thursday as he nears a return to the Los Angeles Angels.

Ohtani strained his right oblique muscles early in the week.

The two-way superstar wasn't in the Angels' starting lineup for the fourth straight game.

"He's moving around good," Phil Nevin said. "The swings were close, but not close enough to start tonight. So we may ramp up later, and he's got a chance to pinch hit."

Nevin sounded optimistic about the chances of an imminent return for Ohtani, who has already been shut down for the season as a pitcher.