Shohei Ohtani was in the Los Angeles Dodgers lineup on Tuesday night for his fourth Cactus League game as he continues to make progress toward logging 50 at-bats during Spring Training.
Tuesday’s game had slightly more significance due to it being Ohtani’s first time facing the Los Angels Angels since signing a 10-year, $700 million contract with the Dodgers in free agency.
It also marked the beginning of the 29-year-old playing back-to-back games. Entering Wednesday, Ohtani had yet to do so this spring but is now scheduled to be playing in a day game after a night game.
Checking off that box is part of Ohtani feeling as though he is no longer navigating a rehab process in terms of swings and being recovered from right elbow surgery, per Juan Toribio of MLB.com
“I think we can say the hitting part of the rehab is over officially,” Ohtani said. “Now I just need to get more at-bats, have quality at-bats, be able to see the ball and get my timing down.”
Considering the deliberate, if not cautious, approach Ohtani and the Dodgers have taken this spring, it is somewhat of a surprise that his first time playing on consecutive days is coming with short rest in between.
Ohtani is going to look to rebound from going hitless against the Angels, which snapped a streak of reaching base safely in seven consecutive plate appearances. Through end of day Wednesday, all five Spring Training games Ohtani has played in this year will have come at Camelback Ranch.
Who is Shohei Ohtani married to?
Already one of the most discussed and watched athletes in the world, Ohtani garnered even more attention with the announcement that he is married to a woman from Japan.
Keeping consistent with how he’s navigated many situations in his life thus far, Ohtani shared few details as to who his wife is. There was speculation in Japan he married a basketball player, but that seemingly has been put to bed.
“She is a Japanese woman, and I don’t really feel comfortable talking about when I got married, the exact date and stuff,” Ohtani said through interpreter Ippei Mizuhara. “But she’s a normal Japanese woman.”
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