"He seems like he's on a mission, pitching-wise. Whenever we've seen him on a mission, good things happen. The Dodgers and Ohtani seemingly want him to make a push for a Cy Young award, and to do so, he needs to reach a certain number of volume innings."
"I'll do everything in my power to make sure the quality and the volume are in a good place. With the limited opportunities I do have, being in a live situation, I just have to do the best I can in those situations."
"According to ESPN's Alden Gonzalez, Ohtani totaled the equivalent of four innings during a live batting practice session on Thursday, throwing a total of 59 pitches against 18 batters. He struck out seven and broke some bats, and after the session, he expressed confidence in his preparation."
Shohei Ohtani is competing with Team Japan in the World Baseball Classic as a hitter only, deliberately avoiding pitching in the tournament. The Los Angeles Dodgers organization and Ohtani jointly decided to preserve his pitching for the 2026 season to optimize his performance and pursue a Cy Young award. While away from the team, Ohtani maintains a structured preparation plan including simulated games, bullpen sessions, and live batting practice. During a recent session, he threw 59 pitches across four innings, striking out seven batters. Ohtani expressed confidence in his preparation strategy, emphasizing his commitment to achieving quality and volume in his pitching workload despite limited opportunities during the tournament.
Read at Dodgers Nation
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