Shohei Ohtani is to resume his two-way career with the Los Angeles Angels when Major League Baseball returns, general manager Billy Eppler confirmed on Tuesday, saying that his Japanese star would pitch and hit this season.
Last season, Ohtani was only a designated hitter after undergoing Tommy John surgery.
Ohtani was not expected to pitch until at least May and Eppler confirmed that the COVID-19 pandemic has not altered the Angels’ plans.
Photo: AP
“We’ll probably have a little bit more of a governor on him, at least at the outset,” Eppler said. “He’s had a number of live [throwing sessions against hitters], but we want to up that intensity a little bit more and put him into a game situation. Just watching how he responds on a day-to-day basis will help guide us to how much we can push down on the gas pedal on him. We’re expecting him to be on the mound and stay on the mound and roll through spring training.”
Manager Joe Maddon last week said that he hoped Ohtani would start on the mound about once per week, while serving as the Angels’ designated hitter in three to four games between starts. The Angels could have a six-man rotation for the short season.
Last season, Ohtani batted .286, with 18 homers and 62 RBIs, and an .848 OPS in 106 games. His production at the plate was nearly identical to his work in 2018, when he was the American League (AL) Rookie of the Year while making 10 starts on the mound.
None of the Angels’ players are intending to opt out of playing in the shortened season, Eppler said.
That includes three-time AL Most Valuable Player Mike Trout, whose wife is due to have their first child later this summer.
Eppler confirmed that first-round pick Reid Detmers would be on the Angels’ summer roster as the 56th player, although the left-handed starter has yet to be officially added.
The Angels are adhering to health and safety protocols at Angel Stadium and at Blair Field in Long Beach, where the Angels are to hold their summer camp, Eppler said, adding that communal couches and tables have been removed from their clubhouses in a bid to remind players of the new realities.
“Think of the clubhouse as more of a closet,” said Eppler, who has received positive feedback from his players over their safety steps. “It’s where clothes hang. Absent of anything you need to do in the training room or weight room, get outside.”
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