Shohei Ohtani will make his spring training debut for the Los Angeles Dodgers on Tuesday against the Chicago White Sox, who share facilities at Camelback Ranch in Glendale, Arizona.
Ohtani will be the designated hitter when he plays a game in the off-season for the first time since signing a 10-year contract worth $700 million.
This is also ohtani’s first game action since his second Tommy John surgery on his right elbow in September. Ohtani will not start in the 2024 season.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts watched Ohtani closely on Sunday as he faced the live throws of right-hander Jesse Hahn.
“He took three at-bats and looked good,” Roberts told reporters. “I thought today would be a good day for Shohei.”
Ohtani won two unanimous awards as the outstanding player of the American League in six seasons (2018-2023) with the Los Angeles Angels.
His jump to the Dodgers led to the fact that many fans flocked to the club’s spring training complex.
Los Angeles is proceeding cautiously with Ohtani, who recently said he believes he’ll be ready when the Dodgers start the season against the San Diego Padres on July 20 and 21.
Roberts said the organization doesn’t feel any pressure to play Japanese-born Ohtani in the Seoul series.
“I think watching him play definitely contributes to the attention of the series and the games,” Roberts said. “But the most important thing is his health. So if it fits together, great. And if not, we will continue from there.”
The 29-year-old Ohtani won his second AL MVP title last season when he scored.304 with a total of 44 home runs with 95 rbis in 135 games with the Los Angeles Angels. He led the AL with one.412 base percentage and led the majors with one.654 Percent slugging.
As a pitcher, Ohtani compiled a 10-5 record with a 3.14 era and recorded 167 strikeouts in 132 innings (23 starts). He limited opposing hitters to an A. 184 average.
Ohtani’s pitching efforts ended after he tore the ulnar collateral ligament of his right elbow in August. 23. The three-time all-Star continued to play as a hitter until he sustained an oblique injury in September. 3.
Despite hitting 171 home runs and a 38-19 record with a 3.01 era as a pitcher, Ohtani did not play a single playoff game in his six seasons in Anaheim.