Bullpenser 95 miles → Bullets double to right-center in 24 hours, and Otani Tuta's rehab is in progress, making his first appearance in a weekend exhibition game

Feb 24, 2025

LA Dodgers Shohei Ohtani is conducting his first live batting in this spring training at Camelback Ranch on the 24th (Korea time). AP Yonhap News

Otani is pitching the third bullpen session of this spring training on the 23rd (Korea time). AP Yonhap News

LA Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani conducted his first live batting in spring training and began to improve his condition toward the opening game. The last-minute rehabilitation seems to be progressing smoothly over the course of the pitching.

Ohtani pitched against 32 pitches thrown by minor league right-hander Nicolas Cruz at Glendale Camelback Ranch in Arizona on the 24th (Korea time). It is the first time that he has taken a real hit since he underwent surgery on his left shoulder on November 6 last year.

Ohtani received two Tommy John surges in October 2018 and September 2023, and is smoothly pitching rehabilitation, considering this to be the last chance for a pitcher. He has already completed three bullpen pitching sessions.

According to MLB.com , Ohtani stuck out his bat on 18 of 32 balls in the live batting. In the second half, he hit a double into the right-center outfield, and roared as he finished training with a sharp right-handed hit.

Otani turns his bat coolly on his first live batting. AP Yonhap News

Cruz was recorded as the first pitcher to pitch to Ohtani in the spring training. The Venezuelan native is a 20-year-old rookie who joined the Dodgers as an international amateur FA in 2022 and pitched 32 innings in the minor league.

According to manager Dave Roberts, Ohtani plans to make his first appearance in an exhibition game this weekend. It's a fan event earlier this monthIn an interview at 'JustFest', Ohtani said he aims to play in the Tokyo Series. The Dodgers will play the opening two consecutive series against the Chicago Cubs in Tokyo, Japan, from the 18th to the 19th of next month. In other words, he will play as a designated hitter from this time on.

As a result, he planned to start practicing in March. For now, Ohtani is expected to be seen in the actual at-bat from the Los Angeles Angels on March 1 or the San Francisco Giants on the 2nd.

Ohtani is raising the number of pitches and speed through three bullpen pitching as a pitcher. The third bullpen pitcher threw 25 pitches on the 23rd, and the speed on the radar gun was up to 95 miles. The speed of hitting 94 miles by throwing 14 and 21 bullpen pitchers, respectively, has risen again. This time, in addition to four-seam and two-seam fastballs, he threw cutters.

Tani Shohei is pitching in a wind-up motion in this bullpen pitching machine. AP Yonhap News

After watching Ohtani's bullpen pitching on the day, Roberts expressed satisfaction, expressing his satisfaction by saying "a big step." It is said that it will not be long before he makes his first appearance in the Dodgers uniform. The club's return to the mound is in May.

In addition, Ohtani is throwing a bullpen session by mixing wind-up motions that he did not use in practice when he was with the Los Angeles Angels. It is a change in the pitching form, which is a paving stone to reduce the elbow and shoulder burden and gain momentum from the lower body to throw more powerfully.

On this, Ohtani responded, "I'm looking at other options and other solutions to see if I can develop further as a player. I'm doing the same as a pitcher as well as a batter" he said.

This article was translated by Naver AI translator.