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In his first batting practice session of spring training on Wednesday, it took just four swings for Shohei Ohtani to look like himself.
Barely three months removed from the left shoulder surgery he underwent this offseason to repair the torn labrum he suffered in last year’s World Series, Ohtani arrived at camp this week in something of rehab mode. He is still working to regain full range of motion in his shoulder, hopeful he’ll be ready to DH by opening day. He still has many boxes to check on the mound, too, as he aims to resume full-time two-way duties this season after being unable to pitch in 2024 while recovering from a Tommy John revision surgery.
But even as he works his way back to 100%, Ohtani reminded hundreds of awestruck fans at the team’s Camelback Ranch facility Wednesday of his prodigious power.
After three lazy pop-ups to begin his BP session, Ohtani walloped a long home run to right field, so deep a coach shagging fly balls simply turned and watched it sail over the fence. In the 13 swings that followed, Ohtani launched nine more balls out of the park.
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“I feel pretty good,” Ohtani said through interpreter Will Ireton afterward. “Almost getting there, to where I want it to be.”
The Dodgers are hopeful that the real challenge for Ohtani this year won’t be about his health, but rather his process of re-acclimating to the two-way role that made him a superstar early in his MLB career with the Angels.
And already, they are brainstorming ways for the three-time MVP to balance his workload on the mound and at the plate in 2025 — with Ohtani currently on track to resume pitching in the big leagues by May, if not sooner.
“He’s excited to pitch,” manager Dave Roberts told reporters. “I’m as excited and curious as you guys are [to watch him].”
Ohtani’s return to the mound could come with some trade-offs offensively. Roberts said he doesn’t expect Ohtani to steal as many bases as he did last year, when the 30-year-old swiped 59 bags while authoring MLB’s first-ever 50-homer, 50-steal season. Roberts said he might look to give Ohtani more days off as a DH as well, making it unlikely Ohtani will match his total of 159 games played last year.
“We haven’t got there yet as far as what he’s comfortable with, what he feels good about,” Roberts said, noting any such plans are only tentative for now as Ohtani continues his preseason ramp-up. “I’m looking forward to those conversations, but it’s obviously going to be a little more complex than it was last year.”
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Ohtani said he does “want to play as much as possible” this year, but added that, “if the team feels like I should get a break, I’ll follow that.”
In the shorter term, Roberts said Ohtani isn’t expected to pitch in any Cactus League games during the spring. Ohtani has yet to even begin throwing bullpen sessions, though he said that could happen as soon as this weekend. So far, Ohtani has only completed flat-ground throwing sessions.
“I’m very satisfied overall with my throwing,” Ohtani said.
Come the start of the regular season, the Dodgers aren’t planning to send Ohtani on a minor league rehab assignment to keep building, either — something that would be standard for pitchers coming back from Tommy John. Instead, Ohtani will probably complete his pitching rehab in simulated games in order to remain available as a hitter on the big league roster.
Once Ohtani is back to his two-way routine, however, the team’s hope is that any other complications regarding his usage in 2025 will take care of themselves.
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The team’s plan to employ a six-man rotation should help limit Ohtani’s innings and prevent the need for him to take any midseason break over workload concerns. Club officials have also downplayed the impact his labrum surgery might pose on his swing, noting that the procedure was to his back shoulder — rather than the lead right shoulder that generates much of his power.
“I do feel like there’s some discomfort that I have to still overcome, [but] it’s not really debilitating,” Ohtani said. “Just a limited range of motion. I’ve gone through it with the elbow before. With the shoulder, it’s a little bit more complicated. I do believe that’s the part that I have to be patient with.”
Barring any unforeseen setbacks, Ohtani might not have to be patient much longer. He said Wednesday he feels like he’s on schedule to be ready to hit by opening day. His return to pitching should come soon after.
“He’s worked really hard, looks really strong and the throwing program hasn’t wavered,” Roberts said last week; an assessment Ohtani backed up with Wednesday’s dazzling batting practice display. “You just wouldn’t think that there was any surgery this past winter.”
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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
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