GLENDALE, Ariz. — Encore?
Last spring, Shohei Ohtani hit a home run in his second at-bat in Cactus League play with the Dodgers. This year, coming off of shoulder surgery in November, he hit one in his first at-bat of the spring.
“Regardless of the results, the biggest takeaway was being able to go through my three at-bats with no issues physically,” Ohtani said through his interpreter. “I felt really good.”
The two home runs were remarkably similar. Both were hit to the opposite field. This year’s drive came off of Angels left-hander Yusei Kikuchi – like Ohtani, a graduate of Hanamaki Higashi High School in Iwate, Japan – who pronounced Ohtani fully recovered from that surgery on his left shoulder.
“Obviously he’s fine after that first home run that he was able to hit that far,” Kikuchi said through his interpreter. “I’m sure he’s going to be able to put up the same numbers this year.”
That would be … something.
Ohtani’s numbers last season were historic – MLB’s first 50/50 season, leading to a third MVP award. This year, his resources will once again be channeled into both hitting and pitching. But Dodgers manager Dave Roberts believes Ohtani can be just “as productive” offensively even if his return to pitching could mean fewer opportunities as a hitter.
“I don’t think he’s going to get the same number of at-bats, plate appearances, given that he’s going to be pitching,” Roberts said before Friday’s game. “I don’t think he’s going to steal as many bases, just appreciating the fact that he does need to pitch and save his legs. But as far as the kind of performance per plate appearance, I still think he can be just as productive. And I’m sure Shohei is expecting the same thing.”
Roberts wouldn’t say how many fewer plate appearances he expects Ohtani to get in 2025. Last year, Ohtani led the National League with 731 plate appearances (second in the majors to Boston’s Jarren Duran). In his first year as a two-way player with the Angels, Ohtani was given the day off before and after each start.
The Dodgers have no plans to impose any such arbitrary limitations on Ohtani’s playing time, Roberts said.
“I think, for me, it’s kind of continued conversations,” he said. “I just think it’s unfair to everyone to put a number on it where I really have no idea.
“I just don’t know if it’s going to be before a start day to prepare, after a start day. … I just don’t know any of that stuff right now.”
Ohtani said he had “no discomfort” in his surgically-repaired left shoulder during his three at-bats Friday – the home run, a pop out to shortstop and a strikeout.
“My last at-bat, the last swing I was pretty late and my shoulder felt great. That was a good test,” Ohtani said.
“The intensity of the game is different from the practice settings. So it’s always going to be checking to see how it feels in a game situation.”
The Dodgers have put Ohtani through some sliding drills, hoping to eliminate his tendency to brace himself with his left arm – exactly the movement that led to his shoulder injury during the World Series in October. But Roberts said he has seen no signs of that injury this spring.
“He’s just worked so hard to get back to where he needs to be,” Roberts said. “His work in the weight room, obviously in the trainers’ room, the rehab process, the surgery went well – kind of from that point on just gearing up for the season, he really hasn’t missed a beat.”
SASAKI PLAN
Rookie right-hander Roki Sasaki will make his Cactus League debut on Tuesday, Roberts announced Friday.
Yoshinobu Yamamoto will start the game against the Cincinnati Reds at Camelback Ranch on Tuesday night and pitch at least three innings. Sasaki will follow him and also is expected to pitch three innings.
So far, Sasaki has faced hitters twice in live batting practice situations – first against Dodgers hitters then against minor-leaguers from the Chicago White Sox camp.
“We’ll set up an exact inning for Roki to get prepared so he can kind of prepare for those three, four innings,” Roberts said. “They both have been talked to and asked about it and they both feel very good about it.”
Yamamoto is on track to start the first game against the Chicago Cubs in Tokyo on March 18 with Sasaki likely to start the second game there. Blake Snell and Tyler Glasnow are being lined up to pitch in the two exhibition games at the Tokyo Dome.
BACK ON MOUND
Right-hander Bobby Miller was back on a mound Friday for the first time since he was hit by a line drive last week. Miller threw a bullpen session during Friday’s workout.
Miller said his concussion symptoms have not returned even as he increased his activity level this week. He could be back in games “sooner than later,” Roberts said.
“I don’t think it’s been that long as far as costing him, as far as his build-up,” Roberts said. “I’m confident that the mindset, the mentality, the fear, he’ll be able to manage. But I think that once he gets past this (bullpen session), it’s more going to be on him and how his comfort level is.”
UNDER CONSTRUCTION
The offseason remodeling project at Dodger Stadium has entered its final stages and the stadium will be ready to host fans for the Freeway Series against the Angels on March 23, team president Stan Kasten said Friday.
The seats have been restored and the field replaced. Some work still needs to be done to the expanded clubhouse areas. But everything is expected to be completed in time for the Freeway Series.