The Los Angeles navigate the meaning of having a two-way player in Shohei Ohtani. Otani flourished as the team’s designated batter and opened the season, but he is still preparing to make his pitching debut in the uniform.
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But manager Dave Roberts says that mound otanis don’t happen anytime soon.
“It’s going to be a while,” Roberts said via Bill Plunkett on the Orange County Register. “I think you start with a natural progression in the bullpen. You have to face the batters again and mix on different pitches. That’s the start. I don’t have a timeline. I don’t think anyone would.
There are some challenges that come with having two-way players on the roster, and the don’t clearly pilot that exact timeline with Otani returning to the mound.
“We’re making sure we’re back to where we were before, and we’re sure the rest and pull back was right. “I think if he starts to meet face to face and do two three ups and downs (simulated innings), we’ll be able to pensil some things. But for now we’re just watching.”
The don’t need Otani on the mound. LA won it all with Otani being the ‘ exclusive designated batsman, and the defending champion has a 5-0 record to start the season without the NL dominating the MVP on the mound.
Nonetheless, Roberts said at some point in 2025 that Otani would pitch.
“I think we’re still a very good club with him (DH only),” Roberts said. “We still want to pitch him. I think he can handle it. He’s done it in the past. The question is, how much we need him now, we’ve answered it. His health is the most important and most important.
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Photo credit: Jonathan Hui-Immagn Image
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