Shohei Ohtani put together one of the greatest offensive seasons the sport has ever seen in 2024, leading the National League in home runs, RBI and OPS and becoming the first player in Major League history to join the 50-50 club while helping the Los Angeles Dodgers capture the World Series. All of which begs one question: What can Ohtani do for an encore?
Most of the talk around Ohtani this offseason has focused on his recruitment of countryman Roki Sasaki to L.A. as well as his hotly anticipated return to the mound after undergoing elbow surgery back in 2023. But don't forget that he also required shoulder surgery this past winter, the result of an injury he sustained while sliding into second base during the Fall Classic. That injury has slowed Ohtani's buildup some this spring training, but Dave Roberts confirmed on Wednesday that his two-way star will make his Cactus League debut very soon.
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When will Shohei Ohtani make his spring training debut for the Dodgers?
Asked about Ohtani's progress, Roberts told reporters that everything remains on schedule, adding that Ohtani is slated to appear in a game for the first time this spring on Friday night against the Los Angeles Angels. The 30-year-old will once again serve as L.A.'s DH, the same role he occupied all of last season.
It's unclear exactly how quick Ohtani's ramp-up will be, and how many reps he'll need before the Dodgers begin their regular season in the Tokyo Series against the Chicago Cubs on March 18. As for his pitching, that remains a work in progress: Ohtani has been throwing bullpens regularly during camp, but he likely won't make his Dodgers debut on the mound until some time in May at the earliest.