Shohei Ohtani exited spring training camp with a virtual handle-with-care tag as the Dodgers' two-way star commits his talents to helping Japan win a fourth World Baseball Classic. Well, most of his talents anyway.
Ohtani's next step in his return to being a two-way player full-time this season doesn't include pitching next month for his home country in the WBC.
"Just coming off the surgery, coming off the year he had, pitching through October, just the quick turnaround at that kind of intensity coming off surgery," Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman said. "And then obviously, we have designs of playing through October this year, and Shohei being a big part of that on the mound. That, coupled with the idea that he wants to pitch for the next eight years, we want him to pitch for the next eight years, just trying to be really mindful of all of that.
"And so we sat down, had the conversation with him. He understood it. The competitor in him doesn't love it, but he understood it."
Ohtani said in a half-truth reveal he can't say for certain that competitive fire won't spread in the moment. There was one hypothetical scenario playing in his mind when the question arose about taking the mound for an inning or even one batter.
"Hard to say it," Ohtani said via interpreter Will Ireton, "but if (Mike) Trout shows up, it's tempting."
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Trout, a close friend and former Los Angeles Angels teammate of Ohtani, won't be in uniform for the U.S. team in March.
That means no redux of the 2023 final-out showdown in which Ohtani was on the mound and struck out Trout in a high-leverage moment the Dodgers would like their treasured four-time MVP to avoid this time around.
Ohtani, who missed only four games in 2025 and played all but three in 2024, has worked with the Dodgers to tone down some of his dual-position upramp this spring. He's also played in 33 playoff games in his two seasons with the Dodgers. He did not pitch in 2024 coming off of Tommy John surgery but threw 47 innings in 14 appearances last season.
To get prepared for a bigger role as a pitcher in 2026, Ohtani will throw some live batting practice sessions and simulated games while away from the Dodgers at the WBC.
"I'll do everything in my power to make sure the quality and the volume are in a good place," Ohtani said. "With the limited opportunities I do have, being in a live situation, I just have to do the best I can in those situations."
--Field Level Media
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