PHOENIX –– A devious smile crept acrossShohei Ohtani’s face as he was presented with the hypothetical.
By all accounts, the Dodgers’ two-way star isnot going to pitchin next month’s World Baseball Classic with Team Japan. Even after his first fully healthy offseason since undergoing a second career Tommy John surgery, he and the team decided it’d be best to save his arm for the grind of a long regular season.
But what if, Ohtani was asked Sunday, the opportunity arises to close out another WBC title, as he did by striking out Mike Trout for the final out in the 2023 edition of the tournament.
“I wonder,” Ohtani answered in Japanese, flashing his playful grin. “If Trout comes out at the end, maybe.”
Tempting as it may be, the only pitching Ohtani is expected to do while he is away fromDodgerscamp for the international event will be much more mundane –– and not just because Trout won’t play for Team USA this time.
Earlier Sunday morning, Ohtani faced hitters in a live batting practice session for the second time this spring, throwing 33 pitches over a two-inning outing that included a couple hard line drives but also strikeouts of Freddie Freeman and Mookie Betts.
And now, as he prepares to depart spring camp to join Team Japan in the coming days, the Dodgers are hopeful he will be able to throw two more live BP sessions on off-days during the WBC, according to pitching coach Mark Prior.
That plan would keep Ohtani on track to be in the Dodgers’ rotation from the start of the regular season in late March, even though he might not pitch in a real game until the final week of spring training.
“We’ve talked about it, had conversations with him, and kind of mapped out some tentative schedules,” Prior said. “A lot of it will depend, as usual with him, on where he’s at, what are the logistics of everything (during the WBC) … But if we can get two more outings out of him, of him facing hitters, that would be ideal.”
To this point, everything else about Ohtani’spreparation as a pitcherhas gone according to plan.
Source: California Post – Breaking California News, Photos & Videos
