The Los Angeles Dodgers received elite production from Shohei Ohtani last year in his first season as a full-time designated hitter. Unfortunately, he suffered a left shoulder subluxation (partial dislocation) in Game 2 of the World Series.
Having since undergone a procedure to repair a torn labrum in his left shoulder, Ohtani has been committed to rehabbing while also ramping up his efforts as a pitcher. Returning to his two-way status has been a priority as it makes Ohtani the most uniquely dominant player in Major League Baseball.
However, Ohtani is still dealing with a small hurdle in his rehab and expressed it’s more of a waiting game to get fully back on track, per Bill Plunkett of the Southern California News Group:
“I do feel like there’s some discomfort that I have to still overcome,” Ohtani said. “It’s not really debilitating. I feel pretty good, almost getting there, to where I want it to be.
“I’ve gone through it with the elbow before (following surgery) and with the shoulder it’s a little bit more complicated. I do believe that’s the part that I have to be patient.”
The positive aspect of his shoulder injury is the arm in which it was hurt. Because he’s a left-handed hitter, Ohtani is fortunate that it was not his front-side shoulder as that has zapped power away from hitters, including former Dodgers Adrian González and Matt Kemp.
With the long postseason and shortened offseason leading into an accelerated Spring Training, the timeline for the Dodgers and Ohtani is pushed up a slight bit, putting more pressure on the rehab to go smoothly.
Shohei Ohtani expected to play in Tokyo Series
The Dodgers already ruled Ohtani out from pitching in the Tokyo Series against the Chicago Cubs, but he’s still expected to serve as their designated hitter in both games.
Recently, reports indicate that Ohtani could aim for a return to the starting rotation around May, if not slightly sooner. The 30-year-old threw an encouraging first bullpen session of Spring Training over the weekend.
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