Ohtani expresses satisfaction: Dodgers’ two-way titan Shohei Ohtani, armed with a million-dollar swing, hits a home run in Cactus League debut, despite recent…. 

March 2, 2025 Sports Gist MLB 0

Dodgers’ Shohei Ohtani Impresses in Cactus League Debut

Los Angeles Dodgers’ standout player Shohei Ohtani showcased his unwavering talent in his Cactus League debut, defying expectations following recent shoulder surgery. The reigning National League MVP captivated fans by smashing a remarkable home run to left field off Los Angeles Angels’ Yusei Kikuchi. Despite this impressive feat, Ohtani’s primary concern remained his overall well-being after the game.

“I think the biggest takeaway was being able to go through my three at-bats without any issues,” Ohtani shared, emphasizing the importance of his health. After his leadoff homer, the Dodgers’ star subtly checked his shoulder, ensuring its stability. Reflecting on his performance, Ohtani expressed satisfaction with his swing’s consistency and the positive feedback from his shoulder, a critical aspect of his recovery process.

Ohtani’s Transition to Two-Way Status

Looking ahead, Ohtani is gearing up for a return to his dual role, planning to make his pitching debut with the Dodgers in April. This shift signifies adjustments in Ohtani’s offensive contributions, with potential reductions in plate appearances and stolen bases to conserve energy for his pitching responsibilities. Despite these modifications, Dodgers’ manager Roberts remains confident in Ohtani’s ability to maintain his offensive prowess per plate appearance, highlighting the player’s unwavering productivity.

Shohei Ohtani throws first bullpen session for Dodgers at Spring Training

As Ohtani readies himself for a multifaceted role in the upcoming season, fans eagerly anticipate witnessing his exceptional talent unfold on the field.

Will Smith dealing with left ankle bone bruise from last June

Dodgers catcher suffered the injury on a slide last June at Yankee Stadium. Smith starts his second game this spring training on Sunday.

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Eric Stephen is the managing editor of True Blue LA, where he’s covered the Dodgers since 2009, and the co-host of the Three-Inning Save podcast. He’s on Bluesky at @ericstephen.bsky.social.

Will Smith is back in the lineup batting cleanup against the White Sox, one of two split-squad games for the Dodgers on Sunday afternoon. It’s the second game for the catcher, who made his Cactus League debut on Friday night against the Angels.

Smith on Saturday talked about the bone bruise in his left ankle that slowed him early in camp. It’s lingered since an awkward slide into second last June 8 at Yankee Stadium. Smith and manager Dave Roberts said surgery was not considered.

“​​You can do all sorts of treatment and everything,” Smith said, “but the only thing that really heals it is rest. … We’re looking more into why maybe it’s not going away. Sometimes it just takes a while.”

Smith through June 8 was hitting .292/.361/.498 with a 136 wRC+ in 55 games. Afterward he hit .213/.301/.382 with a 91 wRC+ in his final 73 games. His strikeout rate similarly rose from 15.5 percent before the ankle injury to 22.2 percent after.

On Saturday, Smith was hesitant to say the ankle affected his swing, that it mostly affected him while running.

“It didn’t hurt really the swing – maybe I could’ve compensated. I don’t know,” Smith said.

Roberts thinks the ankle injury definitely affected Smith’s swing.

“I think last year there was a lot of pitches that he was missing,” Roberts said. “I do believe the foot was kind of impeding the swing.”

Smith last year started a career-high 117 games behind the plate. With Shohei Ohtani starting 159 games, designated hitter was rarely an option for an occasional pseudo off day to remain in the lineup.

 

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