Shohei ohtani will step into a batsman’s box under the Arizona Light for the first time Friday night under the Arizona Lights, facing his previous team where he spent his first six major league seasons.
Usually, players who make their Cactus League debuts that season should not be written at home, but this is Shohei ohtani, which we are talking about. Existing National League MVP, World Series champion, and a transcendent two-way sensation. Naturally, whenever Otani does something on a baseball field, it has plenty of attention and expectations.
The three-time MVP will be making his first appearance in spring training against his old team, the Angels, at 5:05pm at Camelback Ranch in Glendale, Arizona.
Otani will not pitch in that game if he throws a bullpen session this spring. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said he doesn’t expect Otani to pitch in the game until May.
Otani could lead on Friday and act as a designated batsman as he continues to recover from offseason elbow surgery.
Despite being limited to hits only, Otani transformed his first season with the Dodgers into a masterpiece: 54 runs, 59 stolen bass, and the third unanimous MVP award. He became the first player in MLB history to join the elusive 50/50 club, combining raw power with elite speed in a way he has never seen before in baseball diamonds.
His superiority could not be denied, but his season ended with a different kind of history. He entered 2 base during Game 2 of the World Series with the Yankees, causing him to injure his left shoulder in the process. The Dodgers won their first title since 2020, but the image of Otani celebrating with his arms in the sling reminded him that he still has chapters to write.
His second season with Blue begins appropriately, fittingly for the Angels, who he left to free agency after six seasons of individual glow that cast a shadow over the organization’s mediocrity. Otani’s decision to sign a record $700 million contract with the Dodgers was about legacy, not just money. It was around October. And ultimately, it was to win.
Facing the Angels doesn’t come with rival drama, but it acts as a full-cell moment. The club that once promised him a two-way dream will be seen from the opposite dugout as he takes the next step in evolution as a Dodger.
Otani will use the remaining Cactus League matches to adjust the swing, shaking away the rust before opening the 2025 MLB season, where the team travels to Japan in his home country, and faces the Chicago Cubs at Tokio Dome on March 18th and 19th.
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