When it comes to modern baseball, Shohei Ohtani is this generation’s Babe Ruth. Or really, he may be someone making a standard of his own right. Last season he opened the doors to the club even baseball legends couldn’t ever do—the 50-50 club. And records? By now everyone is asking, which are the records he didn’t break? Now as spring training kicks off, all eyes are on him. This time for his road back to pitching.
Last season, Shohei Ohtani was not even functioning at his full potential. The two-way phenom was only a designated hitter last season as he was recovering from a UCL surgery. This season, he is supposed to be back to his usual self. And this time he will be pitching in Dodgers blue, making for one of the biggest storylines this year. But fans hoping to see him on the mound in spring training have to wait, it seems.
Manager Dave Roberts is being extremely cautious. So he has already ruled out any in-game action during camp. And Shohei Ohtani won’t be making any rehab starts either. Fans may be worried, but Ohtani really isn’t. Ohtani told the reporters ahead of the spring training against the Cubs, “I’ve actually done this in the past when I had my injury, so I’m not too concerned about it. It’s just confirming the real and feel aspect of it as we go into different stages. That is my No. 1 concern.” But the young gun had more to report on.
Shohei Ohtani discusses his build up as a pitcher, his advice to Roki Sasaki, and how he feels about the new automated strike zone or ABS system at Dodgers spring training pic.twitter.com/Y2HxLBVGk7
— Michael J. Duarte (@michaeljduarte) February 20, 2025
Ohtani made it clear that he will continue hitting his benchmarks in bullpen sessions and making progress at his own pace. “As long as I hit my benchmark during my bullpen sessions, I feel pretty confident I’ll be on schedule.” And this isn’t uncharted territory for Shohei Ohtani. He has been through a similar rehab process earlier too. So he has a proper understanding of how to manage the workload. Moreover, one major advantage he has is that he doesn’t have the headache to carry the pitching staff.
LA is stacked up with stars like Yoshinobu Yamamoto and now even Roki Sasaki too. So he doesn’t have an urgency to rush back, and neither does the team have to take that risk. But yes, that anticipation is palpable for the fans. Even if he won’t pitch in spring training, his comeback is surely underway.
Shohei Ohtani’s advice to Roki Sasaki as he preps for MLB debut
Now make no mistake, even though Shohei Ohtani is not in action, his presence could be felt all over the clubhouse. His words carry heavy weight, and his influence is beyond the mound. This has been especially true this spring as the Dodgers are welcoming another Japanese star to the fold – the 23-year-old Roki Sasaki.
Sasaki with his fastball that touches triple digits is electric. And is here now in MLB with sky-high expectations. Thankfully, he has Ohtani by his side as a guiding hand. In fact, Sasaki even talked about how he leaned on Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto for advice; however, when Ohtani was asked specifically about the advice he gave, he said he didn’t have specifics to share then.
“There hasn’t been anything that I specifically gave him advice on. I think if he is enjoying this environment, that’s the number one key to being able to adjust here.” So, finding the rhythm is what Ohtani feels is the key for Sasaki to do well – the kind of wisdom that is 100% on-brand for Ohtani. He knows what it is to come to play in a new country; it’s not just about mechanics, but it’s about comfort and feeling free enough to take in the entire experience without getting overwhelmed.
Do you feel Roki Sasaki will start showing that MAGIC from the get-go? Let us know in the comments.
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