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The Los Angeles Dodgers offseason keeps getting better.
It isn’t often that the reigning National League MVP has much more to prove after delivering a title in his first season with the team, but it’s not often that the sports world has seen a talent like Shohei Ohtani.
Ohtani executed everything asked of him and so much more in his innagural season wearing a Dodgers uniform, but while recovering from a UCL injury in his elbow, the MVP was ‘limited’ to just hitting in 2024.
The limitations were far from palpable as Ohtani became the first player in MLB history to hit 50 or more home runs while stealing 50 or more bases on the road to leading L.A. to a World Series.
It’s hard to imagine that Ohtani had his historic campaign last year in the midst of recovering from a second surgery on his pitching elbow 17 months ago, but that just adds even more to his legend.
As he continues to write another chapter in his mind-boggling baseball career, Ohtani is already throwing bullpen sessions at Camelback Ranch as he looks to pitch for the Dodgers in 2025.
It wasn’t his first bullpen since 2023, but after undergoing another surgery to his non-throwing shoulder in Nov. 2024, many around the baseball world wondered if his form would change as a result. Pitching coach Mark Prior noted that there were no hiccups whatsoever.
“It’s crazy to think that this guy had surgery on his left shoulder in November. He doesn’t look like he’s missed a beat,” Prior said. “There’s not a lot of things that, at least, kind of surprise me. But he looks really good. And that is surprising for a guy who’s had a surgery. I know it’s not his throwing shoulder, but it doesn’t look like his left shoulder has been impacted, at least visually to the naked eye.”
Manager Dave Roberts also remarked on Ohtani’s form.
“I’ve seen him throw a handful of bullpens (while rehabbing last year)”, said Roberts. “But to see him out here in spring training alongside the other pitchers, to see him just as a pitcher in that particular moment, was a reality check for me. It was kind of different seeing him in that context. Seeing other pitchers watch him and ‘dap’ him up after his ’pen was good to see.”
The latest Ohtani update bodes well for his imminent two-way debut with the Dodgers.
Photo Credit: Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images
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