Sho and go: After two-way day in Dodgers camp, Shohei Ohtani packs for Japan
GLENDALE, Ariz. — Sho and go.
Shohei Ohtani did not play in Sunday’s Cactus League game. But he had a busy two-way day during the Dodgers’ workout Sunday morning.
Ohtani threw 33 pitches over two simulated innings of live batting practice against hitters including Freddie Freeman, Max Muncy and Mookie Betts, hitting 98 mph with his fastball. Then he switched roles and took at-bats in live batting practice himself. And then he spoke with the media.
After the workout, Ohtani packed up and left camp. He will travel to Japan and join workouts there as Team Japan prepares for the start of the World Baseball Classic the following week. Ohtani’s Team Japan teammate, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, plans to pitch once more (Friday against the San Francisco Giants) before leaving Dodgers camp.
“He is ready to leave,” Roberts confirmed of Ohtani’s plans. “We’re going to miss him, but I’m looking forward to watching him compete for Team Japan.”
Ohtani said there is a plan in place for him to throw “live BPs-slash-bullpens-slash-some kind of simulation” to continue his pitching buildup while he is with Team Japan – though the Dodgers do not want him pitching in any WBC games.
Roberts said he is not sure if part of that plan includes Ohtani pitching in preseason games (perhaps the Freeway Series in Southern California) after he rejoins the Dodgers.
“I think some of that is contingent on how deep they go and when we get him back,” Roberts said. “So I think right now it’s hard to forecast that.”
During his session with the media, Ohtani was teased about not pitching in the World Baseball Classic – but maybe volunteering if Japan needs him to close out the gold-medal game again this time. Ohtani struck out Mike Trout to clinch the gold medal for Japan in 2023.
“It’s hard to say,” Ohtani joked back. “But if Trout shows up, it’s tempting.”
Trout is not playing for Team USA this year for insurance reasons.