Shohei Ohtani’s return to the mound filled hundreds of fans with excitement as they arrived at the Los Angeles DodgersSpring Training facility at Camelback Ranch in Glendale to watch the Japanese two-way star’s first bullpen session following his Tommy John surgery that prevented him from pitching in his debut season with the World Series champions
Ohtani combined two- and four-seam fastballs in the 14 pitches he threw, between 92 and 94 mph to catcher Will Smith, which left his manager and Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman satisfied, who did not hesitate to praise the Japanese player’s talent as the best in the history of the King of Sports
“Shohei Ohtani is everything, it’s uncharted territory. He’s as unique as can be and that’s why I consider him the most talented person to ever play this sport. He has the ability to do both so well, and now is the time,” Friedman said.
Ohtani is unique
The Dodgers will split Ohtani’s workload between hitting and pitching, so he can return to the mound at some point in the season, likely in May.
To get in the best possible shape and avoid a new injury, it will be very important for the team to have feedback with Ohtani, so that he can complete the rehabilitation, which also has to do with the shoulder injury he suffered in the World Series after a stolen base against the Yankees.
“What he’s doing is incredibly unique and, for the cost it has, none of us have data that allows us to think, ‘Oh, when we were in this guy, this guy recovered this way,'” Friedman said. “He’s so unique that we absolutely need his input. He’s also so attuned to how he feels and how his body is that it will be an active conversation between all of us.”
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