The possibility of Los Angeles Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani, the current National League home run leader, participating in this year’s Home Run Derby generated a lot of buzz.
Unfortunately, the injury risk combined with an ongoing rehab process was too much for Ohtani and the Dodgers, who came to a mutual decision to have him not participate in the event at Globe Life Field.
Everything ended up working out in the end for the Dodgers as they are no longer without a Home Run Derby champion in their history thanks to the efforts of Teoscar Hernández.
In his first time participating, Hernández became the first Dodgers player to win the Derby, and he was just the second player in franchise history to even reach the final round.
However, the desire to see Ohtani showcase his abilities in the Home Run Derby still remains, and there could be no better candidate to help the Dodgers onto their newfound success. It’s a possibility Ohtani is open to.
“This year, just being that I’ve been limiting the amount of work I do in the cage, I just see that as a workload issue,” Ohtani explained through interpreter Will Ireton. “And so when I’m back up and healthy pitching again next year, it’s something I would reconsider.”
Ohtani had previously expressed interest in taking part in the event this season and it is a pretty safe bet that he would have if his circumstances were different.
Until then, he is focused on getting healthy once again so he can return to the mound and helping the Dodgers win a World Series.
Shohei Ohtani’s all-time Home Run Derby choices
If he was organizing his own Home Run Derby with his choice of any player throughout MLB’s vast history, Ohtani’s revealed his to be Barry Bonds, Mark McGwire and Babe Ruth.
Ohtani’s current career trajectory puts him on the path to being an all-time MLB great and players in the future will have Ohtani’s name in the conversation as well, if they don’t already.
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