Spring training continues to move forward. The Los Angeles Dodgers are holding their camp in Arizona, and now that the Japanese pitchers are no longer active in the World Baseball Classic following their national team’s elimination against Venezuela’s powerful comeback, Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto are expected to rejoin the club.
Both Japanese players have been away from the Los Angeles squad for three weeks while fulfilling their commitments with their national team. Because of that, they missed their participation in the Cactus League during that stretch of the preseason.
Now that they are returning, they will begin getting repetitions at the training complex before the end of spring camp, after which the team will travel back to California to face the Los Angeles Angels in the traditional Freeway Series.
For that reason, it is expected that this coming Saturday, March 21, 2026, they could be ready to take the mound with the Dodgers. However, the organization has not yet determined how the pitching appearances will be structured for either of the Japanese players.
Their return represents an important moment for the club as it finalizes preparations for the upcoming season and evaluates how to integrate its international stars back into the regular routine of the team.
The chances for the Japanese pitchers to throw in the Cactus League
The Dodgers have five games remaining in the Cactus League before leaving Arizona this Saturday, which means there is still a window in which both pitchers could make appearances on the mound before the end of the preseason schedule.
In Ohtani’s case, the expectation is that the team will proceed with greater caution than with his compatriot. He has not thrown from the mound in official spring training games during this early portion of the preseason, and the Dodgers want to ensure that his progression happens gradually.
For Yamamoto, the situation is somewhat different because he has already taken the mound in two Cactus League games with the Dodgers. In addition, he made two appearances while representing Japan, which means he has maintained a steady rhythm in terms of competitive pitching.
The Dodgers want Shohei Ohtani as part of the starting rotation
After Japan’s elimination from the World Baseball Classic at the hands of Venezuela, the Dodgers are eager to have their biggest star, Shohei Ohtani, back with the team as soon as possible so he can be fully ready for the opening game of the season.
What the organization has not yet clearly defined is whether they want him to take the mound immediately or if they prefer to limit his role to hitting at the start of the season. That decision remains under evaluation by the coaching staff and the front office.
In the coming days, the Dodgers are expected to determine the primary role their superstar will have as they prepare for the beginning of the campaign. The franchise understands that managing Ohtani carefully will be essential as they look to compete at the highest level throughout the year.
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