Shohei Ohtani had a magical run in the first five months of the 2023 season.
He was with the Los Angeles Angels back then, and hit 44 home runs with a career-high 1.066 OPS.
He combined that with some brilliant performances on the mound.
Between late-August and early-September, however, he was diagnosed with an oblique strain and a torn UCL.
The latter will prevent him from pitching in 2024 with his new team, the Los Angeles Dodgers, and has slowed down his offseason ramp-up routine.
Whereas many players have gotten to this week in excellent form, hitting for weeks, that’s not the case with Ohtani.
Dodgers insider Fabian Ardaya tweeted a video of the Japanese star getting his first on-field swing after the elbow surgery.
Shohei Ohtani’s first on-field swing post-surgery: pic.twitter.com/bPIdQTn4hp
— Fabian Ardaya (@FabianArdaya) February 12, 2024
Last week, Ohtani had stated that he’s resumed swinging at around 100-percent effort and that his next step would be either facing live pitching or a high-velocity pitching machine.
It seems that the former was the route he and his team elected, as he was seen swinging the bat against live pitching at Dodgers camp on Monday.
Ohtani will be ready to start the season as a hitter, but his progress may be a bit behind compared to that of his teammates.
Still, it’s highly encouraging to see him swing the bat, and it’s a sign of things to come: he is right on track.
The Dodgers know they won’t be able to enjoy him on the mound until 2025, but they are ready to sit in the front row and watch him dominate opposing hurlers as a hitter.
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