Shohei Ohtani and Will Smith are both in the Los Angeles Dodgers lineup for their respective Cactus League debuts on Friday.
Slowed by offseason surgery to repair a torn labrum in his left shoulder, Ohtani has been hard at work to get back on the field. While Ohtani has reached the point of being able to serve as a designated hitter in games, the reigning National League MVP is still making strides with his ramp-up for pitching as well.
Ohtani has since checked all the boxes laid out with his health, and in recent hitting on the backfields at Camelback Ranch, found his home run stroke. The Dodgers penciling Ohtani into the lineup against the Los Angeles Angels is another step in the right direction to be prepared for Opening Day in the Tokyo Series.
As for Smith, he’s getting into a Spring Training game for the first time as he was slowed in camp by a left ankle injury that has persisted since last year.
Smith has been facing live pitching in recent workouts at Camelback Ranch, and the Dodgers sorely need the skills he brings to the table. With a few weeks left until the team heads to Japan, Smith’s baseball acumen is one of the more underrated qualities.
However, the Dodgers have received solid production from Austin Barnes this spring, and could also have motivation to carry a third catcher in Hunter Fedducia, or Dalton Rushing.
On the mound, Dustin May is scheduled to make his second start of Spring Training. In his previous outing, May tossed one inning against the San Diego Padres.
May flashed an elite curveball, registering a 53.3% strike rate with one strikeout, one hit allowed and two whiffs. He’s currently in a battle for a spot in the Dodgers’ starting rotation, and because of his elite stuff, has an avenue to impact the game in multiple ways.
Shohei Ohtani pitching with new delivery
As Ohtani has continued to throw bullpen sessions during Dodgers workouts, one notable change has been pitching out of the windup for the first time. He’s experimenting with the new delivery ahead of potentially incorporating it during the regular season.
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