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Shohei Ohtani’s pitching debut with the Los Angeles Dodgers keeps getting postponed. Ohtani and the organization agreed to slow down the 2024 National League MVP’s pitching progression.
As Ohtani’s workload as the designated hitter increases through spring training, the Dodgers do not want to risk injuring Ohtani.
“He’s one of one at this point,” Dodgers GM Brandon Gomes said on Foul Territory. “As he’s getting in and making sure he’s building a good foundation because we obviously can’t lose one of the best hitters in the game.”
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Gomes explained on Foul Territory how the organization plans to proceed with Ohtani’s pitching progression throughout the season.
“We’ll set something up where we can consistently get work in and call it once a week,” Gomes said. “Then in early work, try to work through some type of live BP scenario.”
There is no timeline for when the Dodgers expect Ohtani to take the mound. However, Gomes highlighted that Los Angeles can only benefit from the Ohtani pitching situation.
Ohtani has already secured a roster spot as the designated hitter. Therefore, the Dodgers will not have to make any roster moves to add him to the rotation.
“One of the major benefits is if he comes back and throws two innings, that’s okay,” Gomes said. “We don’t have to make a roster move to do that. It is only additive at that point, which is obviously incredibly helpful.”
The Dodgers’ rotation is headline by Blake Snell, Roki Sasaki, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, and Tyler Glasnow. The depth of the rotation allows the Dodgers to take Ohtani’s progression slowly.
As the regular season approaches, the Dodgers will have to travel more, which Gomes said will make Ohtani’s pitching progression more difficult to navigate. Regardless, the organization plans to consistently work with Ohtani on the mound.
“We’ll just map it out and figure out,” Gomes said. “It’d be on the road which could complicate things but making sure we have some type of consistent work.”
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For now, the Dodgers have at least four reliable starting pitchers and a four-time All-Star DH heading into the 2025 season.
Photo Credit: Rob Schumacher/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
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