The Los Angeles Dodgers expect Shohei Ohtani to be ready to bat when they begin their season in Japan against the Chicago Cubs on March 18 and 19.
“I don’t think he’d have it any other way,” manager Dave Roberts said on Monday about the National League MVP, who had shoulder surgery last month. “That’s our expectation.”
After winning his third MVP award, Ohtani is unlikely to pitch while recovering from right elbow surgery in September 2023. Roberts said it is “very unlikely” that Ohtani will pitch in his home country.
“I just don’t see us starting the clock in March to then think that we would keep that continuously going through October,” Roberts said during the winter meetings. “Then that would call for a break or reprieve in the middle of the season, so I don’t know. I still think unlikely.”
Ohtani had surgery on November 5 to repair a torn labrum in his non-throwing shoulder, an injury he got while sliding during a stolen base attempt in Game 2 of the World Series on October 26.
He did not pitch at all during the first season of his $700 million, 10-year deal with the Dodgers as he was recovering from elbow surgery, which followed Tommy John surgery in October 2018.
A unanimous National League MVP, Ohtani became the first player to hit at least 50 home runs and steal at least 50 bases in a season. He surely wants to be in the lineup in Japan.
“It’s not cemented. If something doesn’t look right, feel right, obviously we’ve got to pivot. Maybe a lot of disappointed fans,” Roberts said. “We’re going to do what’s best for Shohei. But where we stand right now, I expect him to play.”
Roberts doesn’t think the recent surgery on Ohtani’s left shoulder will affect his ability to pitch.
“His right elbow is the biggest factor. I just think the question is when he starts pitching in major league games and how we build him up prior to,” Roberts said. “I don’t see it as a minor league rehab situation, but I don’t know. I think it’s a conversation that once we sort of get closer, we’ll figure out. That’s going to be … we’ve got to kind of be nimble with that one.”
After his elbow surgery at the end of his rookie season in 2018, Ohtani didn’t pitch again until early in the COVID-delayed 2020 season, which didn’t start until July.
The Dodgers manager said he hasn’t yet given much thought to how Ohtani will balance hitting and pitching full-time after another surgery.
“It’s going to be interesting, because the continued, not necessarily rehab with the left shoulder, but keeping it strong, maintaining it … within the overall body stuff. And then the pitching regimen, the side sessions of pitching, to then be a part of hitters’ meetings and get ready, get ramped up to take at-bats as a DH,” Roberts said.
“I guess if anyone can manage it, it’s Shohei. He doesn’t waste much time when he’s at the ballpark. But it’s certainly going to look a lot different.”
