GLENDALE, Ariz. — If there was any mystery about who is driving Shohei Ohtani’s rehab from elbow surgery in September, it was dispelled Friday.
The workout schedule posted in the Dodgers’ clubhouse on Friday morning had Ohtani listed as one of the batters set to face Alex Vesia or Nabil Crismatt in a live batting practice session. Facing pitchers for the first time since his elbow surgery would represent a significant step forward in his recovery.
A large contingent of reporters, photographers and cameramen – most of them servicing Japanese media outlets – surrounded the field where this was supposed to happen.
But it didn’t. Ohtani didn’t emerge from the batting cages until the live session was over. Instead, he took batting practice with Dodgers coach Dino Ebel tossing instead, as he has every other day this week. This time, Ohtani took 26 swings and hit 13 over the fence, six consecutive swings at one point.
As Ohtani was leaving the clubhouse at the end of the day, he was asked about not taking live BP and said it was not his plan for Friday’s workout, apparently a miscommunication.
“Next week,” he said of his plan for live BP.
That would be quick progress for Ohtani, who arrived at Camelback Ranch last week hitting off a tee and soft toss only.
“He’s a lot further along than any of us not named Shohei would have expected,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “He’s worked really hard, and is very diligent in his work. What that means as far as when he’s gonna play in a Cactus League game, I don’t know that answer. But it seems like every single day, he keeps getting better and feels really good.”
Roberts acknowledged that the Dodgers have given Ohtani the autonomy to progress at his own pace.
“I think early on, it was more the thought of giving him as much latitude, and eliminate the kind of pressure, to be ready for Opening Day – to kind of let each day just happen, as we get to a point of when he’s ready,…
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