Shohei Ohtani is already ahead of where he was last year at this time in spring training, and that’s got to be music to the Dodgers’ ears.
The two-way superstar is throwing at camp this February, a stark contrast to his careful ramp-up process last season as he worked back from Tommy John surgery. Manager Dave Roberts likes what he’s seeing so far.
“To see him face hitters, kind of start his buildup — he’s certainly way ahead of where he was last year on the pitching side. That’s a good thing,” Roberts said Tuesday, via MLB.com. “But I just really don’t worry too much about his buildup and preparation.”
It’s a hugely consequential development for a Dodgers team that’s already coming off back-to-back World Series titles with Ohtani primarily as a hitter.
The WBC wrinkle
There’s still the World Baseball Classic to navigate. Ohtani isn’t expected to pitch for Team Japan during the tournament, which creates an interesting timeline situation.
He can get some throwing in before heading to the WBC, but then he’ll have to maintain his arm strength with side sessions during the event before ramping back up for the MLB season. It’s not ideal, but it’s manageable.
“Obviously, last year [he] was coming back from surgery, and so we were very deliberate about a lot of things,” president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman said. “This year we will be less so, but still mindful of it. It’s a heavy, heavy load that he takes on that is different from every other player in baseball. And so I think a lot of it is reading and reacting.”
What this means
Let’s put it this way: Ohtani was already the best player in baseball last season while easing back into pitching. If he’s at full strength on both sides of the ball from the start, that’s a terrifying prospect for the rest of the league.
The Dodgers have been patient with their generational talent, and it’s paying off. Two years removed from Tommy John surgery, Ohtani seems ready to show everyone what a fully healthy two-way player looks like over a complete season.
The way I see it, baseball better get ready. This version of Ohtani might be unlike anything we’ve seen before.
