GLENDALE, Ariz. — All it took was one swing for Shohei Ohtani to quell any early considerations about his surgically repaired left shoulder.
Making his extremely anticipated Cactus League debut on Friday in opposition to his former staff in an eventual 6-5 Dodgers win, Ohtani hit an extended residence run to left subject in his first at-bat of the night. The followers at Camelback Ranch, a lot of whom had been on their toes and recording on their telephones since Ohtani stepped to the plate, appeared to realize it was gone off the bat.
“Given the place we’re at in Spring Coaching,” supervisor Dave Roberts mentioned, “I might not have thought he had surgical procedure this offseason. He is in a great spot.”
With the Dodgers dealing with an Angels break up squad, pleasure was excessive for the sport, which additionally featured Yusei Kikuchi because the Halos’ beginning pitcher. Ohtani and Kikuchi, who’s three years older, attended the identical highschool, Hanamaki Higashi within the Iwate Prefecture of Japan.
Kikuchi, who left the sport with two outs within the first however was capable of re-enter as a consequence of Spring Coaching guidelines, received the subsequent matchup, getting Ohtani to come out to shortstop within the second inning. Ohtani’s third and closing at-bat resulted in a swinging strikeout within the fifth.
He shook his shoulder just a little after the aggressive swing, however he mentioned he was simply checking to verify it felt OK.
“My final at-bat, the final swing, I used to be fairly late and my shoulder felt nice,” Ohtani mentioned by interpreter Will Ireton. “That was a very good take a look at.”
“Clearly, he is wonderful,” Kikuchi mentioned by interpreter Yusuke Oshima. “That first residence run, he was capable of hit it that far. So, yeah, I am certain he is going to have the ability to put up the identical numbers this 12 months as he did final 12 months.”
Ohtani had a storybook first season with the Dodgers, turning into the founding member of the 50-50 membership, incomes his third unanimous MVP Award and successful his first World Sequence ring. Anticipation has been excessive for a way he would possibly observe up that marketing campaign, particularly as a result of he’s additionally as a consequence of return as a pitcher in Might.
Ohtani has not taken a giant league mound since present process proper elbow surgical procedure in September 2023, and left shoulder surgical procedure final November pushed again his offseason program as he labored to construct up for a beginning position this 12 months. He is not anticipated to pitch in Cactus League video games, however he has ready to be able to DH when the Dodgers open the season in opposition to the Cubs on March 18 and 19 within the Tokyo Sequence.
The Dodgers had not been overly involved about how the shoulder surgical procedure would have an effect on Ohtani as a batter as a result of the process was carried out on his again shoulder, which ought to have much less of an influence on his swing than his lead shoulder.
“I feel he could be as productive [as in 2024],” Roberts mentioned. “I do not suppose he will get the identical variety of at-bats, plate appearances, provided that he will be pitching. I do not suppose he will steal as many bases, simply appreciating the truth that he does must pitch and saving his legs.
“However so far as type of efficiency per plate look, I nonetheless suppose he could be simply as productive. And I am certain Shohei is anticipating the identical factor.”
As soon as Ohtani returns to pitching, the Dodgers anticipate that he would possibly want extra relaxation than typical, no less than from the outset. Roberts did not wish to speculate on how that may look, as there is no blueprint to observe for rehabbing a two-way participant, aside from when Ohtani himself got here again from his 2018 Tommy John surgical procedure.
Extra days off for Ohtani may permit the Dodgers to get others within the lineup off their toes. Freddie Freeman (ankle surgical procedure) and Will Smith (ankle bone bruise) are amongst those that may benefit from occasional DH days. Each are thought of as wholesome as they are going to be, however they’re going to additionally should handle lingering illnesses early on within the common season.
Regardless of all of the fanfare round his efficiency, Ohtani was simply glad that his return to recreation motion went easily.
“Whatever the outcomes, the largest takeaway was having the ability to undergo my three at-bats with no points bodily,” Ohtani mentioned. “I felt actually good.”
