Dodgers’ $700million man Shohei Ohtani goes DEEP in batting practice following off-season elbow surgery to raise optimism he’ll be ready for LA’s March 20 opener in South Korea
Shohei Ohtani is unlikely to pitch for the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2024 following elbow surgery, but the game’s fiercest left-handed hitter is definitely healthy enough to swing the bat.
The Dodgers on Monday posted footage of their new $700 million homer during his first batting practice of the spring.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said Sunday that Ohtani will not play in the Dodgers’ Cactus League opener against San Diego on Thursday.
However, Roberts is encouraged by Ohtani’s physical progress.
“He’s a lot further along than I think any of us — who may not be named Shohei — expected,” Roberts said Saturday. “He has worked very hard and is very diligent in his work, so he is ahead of schedule.
“What that means if he’s going to play in a Cactus League game, I don’t know. But it seems like he continues to get better every day and feels really good.”
The two-time AL MVP will not pitch this season after undergoing right elbow surgery on September 19, but hopes to be ready to hit in the March 20 opener against the Padres in Seoul, South Korea.
Ohtani, 29, hit .304 in 135 games last season and led the AL in home runs (44), on-base percentage (.412), slugging percentage (.654), OPS (1.066) and total bases (325) while he won his second MVP award.
He was also voted MVP in 2021 and finished second in 2022.
Ohtani signed a ten-year, $700 million contract with the Dodgers after spending his first six seasons with the Los Angeles Angels. However, much of that contract is postponed until 2034 and beyond, meaning Ohtani’s base salary in 2024 will be just $2 million.
All signs point to the Dodgers having a great offensive lineup. Los Angeles could start a lineup with fellow All-Stars like Betts, Freeman, Max Muncy and Will Smith. Ohtani said he is willing to contribute.
“My swing is almost 100 percent effort-wise,” Ohtani said before Monday’s batting practice.
Ohtani’s first year of his 10-year contract is one of many storylines for the heavy-spending Dodgers, who have committed more than $1 billion to free agents. The Ohtani deal was even richer than many expected and days later Los Angeles landed right-handed pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto with a $325 million, 12-year deal.
Roberts said he has spoken to Ohtani a few times in Arizona but is trying to give him space as he adjusts to a new environment.
“Everything he does is intentional, which is pretty amazing, but not surprising,” Roberts said. “I think right now you see a lot of teammates trying to see how he works, learn what makes him tick, but that takes time.
“But I still have to pinch myself to see him in a Dodger uniform.”
Roberts said the Dodgers are embracing the organization’s new role as sports’ version of Taylor Swift. The manager reflected on his days playing for the San Francisco Giants in 2007, when teammate Barry Bonds was chasing a career home run record and the media was a constant presence in the clubhouse.
“It’s hard to ignore who he is as a baseball player and the contract,” Roberts said. “But he wants nothing more than to win, and win as a Dodger. That’s why he chose to come here. I can speak for everyone in the organization; we couldn’t be more excited.”
Also on Friday, the Dodgers announced their one-year deal with left-hander Clayton Kershaw, who returns for his 17th season. The deal includes a player option for 2025.
The three-time Cy Young winner had surgery on November 3 to repair his left shoulder capsule and glenohumeral ligaments, which strengthen the joint capsule. He expects to be available to pitch this summer. If he decides to return in 2025, he could join Ohtani in the starting rotation.
To make room for Kershaw on the roster, right-hander Tony Gonsolin was placed on the 60-day injured list while recovering from Tommy John surgery.