Dodgers News: Shohei Ohtani ‘Confident’ He’ll Be Ready for Opening Game vs. Padres in Korea
With the Los Angeles Dodgers beginning the regular season against the San Diego Padres in South Korea in 44 days, fans on two continents are wondering whether Shohei Ohtani will be in the lineup. The Dodgers’ $700 million investment is less than five months removed from major surgery on his right elbow.
Ohtani revealed at Saturday’s DodgerFest the weekend that he’s “very confident” he will be ready to go for the Dodgers’ opening game. Ohtani added that right now he’s planning to start hitting from a pitching machine when Spring Training begins for the Dodgers on Feb. 14.
In the scenario that Ohtani is unable to go for the Dodgers’ regular season opener, fans can rest knowing how hard their new superstar is working. Ohtani’s new teammates have already lauded how hard he works out, and that his work ethic is unmatched.
Upon his return, Ohtani will only serve as a designated hitter this season and won’t be pitching, as he continues to recover from his second Tommy John surgery. The good news is that Ohtani is one of the best batters in the business. He’s won the Edgar Martinez Award, given to the game’s best designated hitter, in three consecutive seasons. He hit an American League-leading 44 home runs last season.
Ohtani’s first game as a Dodger is already an incredibly exciting day for MLB in general, but will be extra special since he will be making his return to the diamond for the first time since early September of last season, before he had surgery.
Dodgers fans already got a glimpse of that excitement over this past weekend, when Ohtani appeared at DodgerFest, and had another opportunity to speak with the media. This excitement was easily evident in the amount of fans and press who showed up to see Ohtani with the Dodgers.
Photo Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
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