Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani took the field for a batting practice session on Monday, his first swings outdoors since having elbow surgery in September.
Ohtani, who signed a 10-year, $700-million contract in free agency with the Dodgers, will not pitch this season but is on track to be the full-time DH when the Dodgers open the season next month.
“I felt like the swings were feeling really good, which is a really good sign. I think it’s trending toward me being ready for Opening Day,” Ohtani said through his interpreter, Ippei Mizuhara, according to Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic.
Ardaya reports that Ohtani registered 21 swings during his BP, which was split up over two rounds, and that 10 of those swings resulted in home runs.
Ohtani is coming off his second MVP season after he hit an American League-best 44 home runs in 2023, with a .304 batting average and 96 RBIs. As a pitcher, he posted a 10-5 record with a 3.14 ERA in 23 starts on the mound, recording 167 strikeouts in 132 innings.
In late August Ohtani was shut down as a pitcher due to a tear in his ulnar collateral ligament in his pitching elbow. On Sept. 3, an oblique strain officially ended his season as a hitter.
Ohtani confirmed Monday that the oblique injury was fully healed.
“I was being a little careful,” Ohtani said according to MLB.com's Juan Toribio. “But overall I felt really good. All the swings I took inside the cage felt really strong. I think we’re past the oblique injury.”
The Dodgers will open the season with two games in Korea against the San Diego Padres on March 20 and 21.
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