LOS ANGELES (CNS) – Shohei Ohtani is expected to play in a spring training game for the first time in 2025 Friday when the Dodgers face the Angels at their Camelback Ranch training facility in Glendale, Arizona.
Ohtani has gotten off to a delayed start to spring training after undergoing successful arthroscopic shoulder surgery Nov. 5 “to repair a labrum tear that resulted from a left (non-throwing) shoulder dislocation” during Game 2 of the World Series, according to the team.
Ohtani injured the shoulder sliding while trying to steal second base in the seventh inning of the Oct. 26 game against the New York Yankees. Despite the injury, he played in all remaining games of the series.
Ohtani faced live pitching for the first time in 2025 on Sunday, swinging on 18 of 32 pitches from minor league right-hander Nicolas Cruz.
“Shohei looked good,” manager Dave Roberts said. “He got a lot of swings off. He said he felt good afterward. He hit a couple of balls hard, which is good to see.”
Ohtani is expected to be the Dodgers’ designated hitter when they open the regular season March 18 against the Chicago Cubs in Tokyo.
Left-hander Yusei Kikuchi will be the Angels’ starting pitcher Friday. Ohtani is 7-for-23 for a .304 batting average with three home runs and five RBIs against Kikuchi.
Like Ohtani, who is three years younger, Kikuchi attended Hanamaki Higashi High School in Hanamaki City, Japan.
Kikuchi signed a three-year, $63 million contract with the Angels on Nov. 27. He was 9-10 with a 4.05 ERA in 2024. He began the season with the Toronto Blue Jays, and was 4-9 with a 4.75 ERA in 22 starts, then traded to the Houston Astros for pitcher Jake Bloss, outfielder Joey Loperfido and infielder Will Wagner. Kikuchi was 5-1 with a 2.70 ERA in 10 starts with the Astros.
Kikuchi will start the Angels’ season opener March 27 against the Chicago White Sox.
Ohtani was the unanimous choice as the National League’s MVP in 2024, as he became Major League Baseball’s first 50/50 player with 59 stolen bases and a National League-leading 54 home runs. He also led the league with 130 RBIs and 134 runs and was second in hits with 197, three behind Luis Arraez of the San Diego Padres.
Ohtani has thrown two bullpen sessions this spring as he attempts to return to the mound after not pitching in 2024 after undergoing surgery to repair a torn ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow. He is expected to pitch for the Dodgers for the first time in May.
The 5:05 p.m. Pacific Standard Time game will be televised by SportsNet LA.
Recent Comments