The anticipation surrounding Shohei Ohtani‘s first spring training appearance for the Los Angeles Dodgers continues to build at Camelback Ranch in Arizona. While he has yet to appear in a Cactus League game or face live batters on the mound, that’s about to change — at least on the hitting side.
Manager Dave Roberts announced this weekend that Ohtani will be seeing playing time at designated hitter by the end of next week. The skipper also hinted that Ohtani will likely be hitting from the leadoff spot once the regular season rolls around. The batting order will feature Mookie Betts second and Freddie Freeman third, maintaining the devastating top of the order that proved so successful last season.
Progress on the Mound Shows Promise
While Dodgers fans eagerly await his eventual return to the mound, Ohtani continues making steady progress in his recovery from his second UCL surgery. His latest bullpen session on Saturday showed encouraging signs, with the two-way superstar touching 95 mph with his fastball and incorporating his cutter for the first time this spring.
“Got his fastball up to 95, which is great,” Roberts said. “Building up on the pitch count, so a really positive day for Shohei. Heard afterward he felt good coming out of it. Big step.”
The session consisted of 25 pitches, marking an increase from his previous outings of 14 and 21 pitches earlier this spring.
Mechanical Changes in the Works
Ohtani recently revealed he’s using his rehabilitation period to refine his pitching mechanics, primarily working from the full windup during his bullpen sessions.
“As part of being a baseball player, I do want to explore different options, different avenues, to see if I could grow as a player,” Ohtani explained. “I do that on the pitching side as well as as a hitter.”
The adjustment appears to be more than experimental, as Ohtani confirmed his intention to implement the windup when he returns to game action.
“That’s my plan,” he said. “With increasing the intensity, I do want to see how the body responds, how I respond to it. As of now, that’s the plan.”
Managing the Return to Two-Way Status
The Dodgers are taking a measured approach with their superstar’s workload. While Ohtani won’t pitch in any spring training games or go on a rehab assignment, the team is eyeing a possible May return to the mound.
When he does resume his two-way role, the Dodgers might provide him with additional off days compared to last season, though early indications suggest he’ll maintain his leadoff spot even in games he pitches.
For context, before his September 2023 elbow surgery, Ohtani was dominant on both sides of the ball with the Angels. He posted a 3.14 ERA and 1.06 WHIP with 167 strikeouts across 132 innings while slashing .304/.412/.654 with 44 long balls at the plate, earning his first-career league MVP award.
His best year as a pitcher came in 2022 when he posted a 15-9 record over 28 starts, notching a 2.33 ERA and a 1.012 WHIP with 219 strikeouts over an even 166 innings.