Shohei Ohtani, the Los Angeles Dodgers’ World Series champion, is preparing to contribute as a hitter for Team Japan in the upcoming World Baseball Classic while following a strict pitching schedule. The Dodgers have developed a strategic plan to maintain Ohtani’s arm health, which included a bullpen session topping out at 99 mph, designed to keep him ready for the MLB Opening Day.
After concluding his time at Camelback Ranch, Ohtani left for Japan either Sunday night or Monday morning, according to reports. During his last session, he threw around 30 pitches across two simulated innings, striking out prominent hitters Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman, showcasing his impressive velocity.
Having not pitched at all in 2024 due to recovery from his second Tommy John surgery, and with only 47 innings thrown last season, the Dodgers are carefully monitoring this transition period to ensure Ohtani’s long-term durability and effectiveness.
The Dodgers’ Strategy to Manage Ohtani’s Pitching Workload During WBC
Dodgers pitching coach Mark Prior has been collaborating closely with Ohtani to draft a customized pitching plan for the World Baseball Classic. The team aims to arrange two additional bullpen sessions for Ohtani during Japan’s rest days in the tournament, enabling him to build arm strength without game pitching.
“We’ve talked about it, had conversations with him, and kind of mapped out some tentative schedules,”
Prior said.
A lot of it will depend, as usual with him, on where he’s at, what are the logistics of everything … But if we can get two more outings out of him, that would be ideal.”
Since Ohtani will appear only as a designated hitter throughout the WBC, his pitching workload must be managed carefully with bullpen sessions and simulated games scheduled independently.
“I’ll do everything in my power to make sure the quality and the volume are in a good place,”
Ohtani stated through interpreter Will Ireton.
“With the limited opportunities I do have, being in a live situation, I just have to do the best I can in those situations.”
Ohtani’s Velocity Soars to 99 MPH with Expanded Pitch Arsenal
The resurgence of Ohtani’s pitching strength is evident as he has begun incorporating his full complement of pitches this spring. This marks a considerable advancement compared to last season when he relied mostly on a combination of fastball, slider, and sweeper while carefully managing his workload post-surgery.
“Last year’s bullpens, from a velocity and intensity standpoint, he was very conservative,”
Prior commented.
I think now, he feels he’s far enough removed to where he’s been able to push it. You’re seeing a more regular version of him.”
In 2025, Ohtani completed 14 starts with a 2.87 ERA, accumulating 62 strikeouts and only nine walks over 47 innings, demonstrating remarkable efficiency given the cautious innings limits imposed on him. This spring is a critical phase for ramping up toward a full season with the Dodgers, where he will join a strong starting rotation including Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Tyler Glasnow, Blake Snell, Emmet Sheehan, and Roki Sasaki.
Implications of Ohtani’s WBC Participation for the Dodgers’ 2026 Campaign
The Dodgers are positioning Ohtani to be a key factor in their postseason ambitions rather than focusing solely on the WBC. Andrew Friedman, Dodgers’ president of baseball operations, emphasized that Ohtani is expected to start the MLB season in the pitching rotation, though his role will depend on how far Japan advances in the tournament held from March 5 to 17 across Tokyo, Houston, San Juan, and Miami.
“We have designs of playing through October this year, and Shohei being a big part of that on the mound,”
Friedman noted.
“That, coupled with the idea that he wants to pitch for the next eight years, we want him to pitch for the next eight years, just trying to be really mindful of all of that.”
Ohtani’s competitive spirit remains strong, recalling his decisive strikeout of Mike Trout with a full-count sweeper in the 2023 WBC championship game for Japan. When asked if he might seek to pitch in a crucial late inning during this year’s gold medal game, he smiled and remarked,
“Hard to say. But if Trout shows up, it’s tempting.”
