Spring coaching is underway. On Friday, the Los Angeles Dodgers fittingly grew to become the primary staff to open camp after their star-studded — and billion greenback — offseason. The Dodgers and San Diego Padres will start the common season in South Korea on March 20-21, so that they have early reporting dates. The opposite 28 golf equipment will open camp subsequent week.
Friday is Shohei Ohtani’s first official day of labor with the Dodgers, and though he’s the sport’s greatest star, he stated he will act like a rookie now that he is on a brand new staff. “I am on a model new staff, so I’ll act like I am a rookie and attempt to get together with all the blokes, and get together with my teammates,” Ohtani stated (via MLB.com).
Ohtani additionally offered an replace on his elbow surgical procedure rehab. He stated he’s already swinging a bat with 100% effort, and the subsequent step is dealing with the high-velocity pitching machine and stay pitchers, per the Los Angeles Times. Ohtani added that doing this — hitting whereas rehabbing his elbow as a pitcher — beforehand in 2019 will assist him this season.
The precise nature of Ohtani’s elbow surgical procedure continues to be unknown, although he won’t pitch this coming season. He shall be a DH solely and can slot in because the staff’s No. 3 hitter, supervisor Dave Roberts introduced on the staff’s Fan Fest occasion earlier this month (per ESPN). Determine the on a regular basis lineup will look one thing like this:
- 2B Mookie Betts
- 1B Freddie Freeman
- DH Shohei Ohtani
- C Will Smith
- 3B Max Muncy
- LF Teoscar Hernández
- CF James Outman/Chris Taylor
- RF Jason Heyward/Manuel Margot
- SS Gavin Lux/Miguel Rojas
Now 29, Ohtani hit .304/.412/.654 with 44 residence runs final season earlier than the elbow surgical procedure and an indirect harm ended his yr in early September. He led the American League in homers, whole bases, on-base share, and slugging share. Ohtani additionally threw 132 innings with a 3.14 ERA and 167 strikeouts. He was named AL MVP unanimously for the second time in three years.
Ohtani signed a report 10-year, $700 million contract earlier this offseason. Heavy deferrals — Ohtani will make solely $2 million a yr the subsequent 10 years — scale back the current day worth to $460 million or so. Los Angeles additionally signed Japanese ace Yoshinobu Yamamoto to a 12-year, $325 million contract. It’s the largest pitching contract in historical past.
The Dodgers went 100-62 and received the NL West for the tenth time within the final 11 seasons final yr although it was presupposed to be one thing of a step-back yr. Los Angeles was shortly swept within the Division Collection by the Arizona Diamondbacks, nonetheless.
