Shohei Ohtani has garnered considerable attention in his first Spring Training camp with the Los Angeles Dodgers as thousands of fans have flocked to Camelback Ranch to catch a glimpse of the two-way superstar.
When Ohtani first reported to Arizona, he was initially limited to taking swings against flips and then hitting off a pitching machine. However, the two-time American League MVP has since advanced to taking live batting practice, which saw him hit a towering home run off J.P. Feyereisen on Monday.
Ohtani will not be in the Dodgers lineup on Thursday when they begin their Cactus League schedule against the San Diego Padres, but manager Dave Roberts said he expects the 29-year-old to play in some number of Spring Training games.
Ohtani recently told Roberts that he will need about 50 at-bats to prepare for the regular season, via Bill Plunkett of the Southern California News Group:
Roberts said he had a conversation with Shohei Ohtani on Monday about how much work Ohtani feels he will need to be ready for the season. The answer he got was 50 at-bats.
The 50 at-bats that Ohtani needs will likely be split between Cactus League play, simulated games on the Minor League side and live batting practice sessions.
Ohtani has made great progress in camp after separate elbow and oblique injuries prematurely ended his 2023 season. He isn’t expected to pitch this year, but he will continue to make an impact as the Dodgers’ designated hitter.
Ohtani has maintained confidence that he will be in the Dodgers lineup when they take on the Padres in the Seoul Series next month.
J.P. Feyereisen taking Shohei Ohtani home run in stride
Feyereisen became the fixation of gathered media after allowing the home run to Ohtani and drew some good-natured ribbing from teammate Evan Phillips suggesting that he turn the home run ball into an autographed souvenir.
Have you subscribed to the Dodger Blue YouTube channel? Be sure to ring the notification bell to watch player interviews, participate in shows and giveaways, and stay up to date on all Dodgers news and rumors!
