Dodgers Interview: Roberts Expects Ohtani to be “in the Cy Young Conversation”
CAMELBACK RANCH, AZ — Barely 24 hours in Arizona and Dave Roberts is in front of a mic again. He said the first day had that familiar energy, with pitchers and catchers in and “a majority of the position players” already around, too. The big theme, though, was patience, because this spring is longer than recent years and the job is getting everyone built up the right way. As Roberts put it, the message is to “start slow but intentional, methodical.”
Roberts said he’s balancing a lot of different calendars at once, especially on the pitching side. “A lot of the veteran guys sort of know where they’re at, what it’s going to take to get them ready,” he said, but “younger guys,” plus “guys that are coming off injury” and “guys that had a bigger workload last year,” all need their own lanes. His focus is less about forcing everyone toward the same finish line and more about steady progress. “The main thing is just kind of ramp up methodically and really not try to have a certain target date,” Roberts said. “Everyone’s on a different program, but as long as they’re kind of improving, which I feel right now we got a healthy group right now.”
That same approach showed up when he was asked about Yoshinobu Yamamoto facing hitters and the idea of piling a WBC on top of last season’s workload. “I wouldn’t say worried,” Roberts said. “I just believe that he knows his limitations and he’s prepared. So, I’m not too concerned about it.”
Most of Friday’s presser, though, was all about Shohei Ohtani, and Roberts didn’t hide how high the internal bar is for what Ohtani can be on the mound with a more normal offseason. “Yeah, I do,” Roberts said when asked if there’s more untapped as a pitcher. “Last year coming off surgery, but the regular offseason ramp up, I think there’s certainly a lot more in there.” Roberts also made it clear that Ohtani’s expectations will be plenty loud without anyone else adding to them. “Regardless of my expectations for him, his are going to exceed those,” he said. “It’s fair to say he expects to be in the Cy Young conversation. But we just want to be healthy and make starts and all the numbers and statistics will take care of themselves.”
Roberts said the biggest surprise last season was how much command Ohtani already had, even if Ohtani didn’t fully agree with that assessment. “The thing that was most surprising from last year was his command,” Roberts said. “He still feels his command wasn’t up to par, but given the Tommy John and what typically command looks like the year after, it was above that.” He also pointed to feel and intent, not just raw stuff. “His ability to command the couple different breaking balls, to change the shape of his breaking balls, was pretty impressive,” Roberts said. “Everything he does is with a purpose.”
On the everyday side, Roberts said he still leans toward keeping Ohtani at the top of the order, even on days he pitches. “As of now, yes,” he said, then repeated it again: “As of now, yes.” Roberts added that it will be ongoing: “We’ll see how that progresses, and I’ll have conversations with him.” Sounds like he’s giving himself some wiggle room to maybe give his starter a little breather before he has to swing a big stick.
Roberts also gave a simple assessment of how Ohtani looks moving around early in camp. “He just looks strong,” he said, “but not too much mass.” Watching him throw and run, Roberts said, “his body’s moving well,” and “the weight, the muscle mass, it just seems like he’s in a sweet spot.” He tied that to the biggest difference of all: preparation instead of rehab. “When you’re in rehab mode, it’s a little bit of survival going into the season,” Roberts said, “as opposed to just going into a regular offseason preparing for the next season and not in the rehab mode.”
With the WBC in the windshield up ahead, Roberts said the Dodgers are planning around the reality that Ohtani will be with Team Japan, but he won’t pitch there. “I don’t know when he’s going to leave us to join Team Japan,” Roberts said, “but there’s still going to be ample time for him to get his progression here with us.” He expects communication to keep everything aligned. “I’m sure Mark will be talking to the pitching coach over there and kind of stick to our plan and we’ll be in lock step,” Roberts said. “Show is very well aware of what he needs to do.”
Asked how delicate it is to balance the idea of Ohtani ramping into the season as a pitcher, Roberts didn’t pretend it’s simple. “It’s delicate,” he said. “We’ll know more in the next couple weeks and see where the progression is at.” And again, he went back to the same guiding principle he started the day with. “There’s not going to be any timeline or end line or finish line to kind of where he has to be ready,” Roberts said. “I’m sure his marker is Opening Day, but for us, just to kind of see where his progression leads him.”
The most human part of the availability came when Roberts was asked about Alex Vesia and what he and his wife Kayla have been going through. “You just can’t,” Roberts said, referring to the Vesia’s loss of their newborn daughter. “I can’t put into words. I know I’m happy to see him and spend some time with him yesterday.” Roberts said they spoke early, then he tried to give space. “I talked to him right afterwards, text messages afterward, and then left him alone,” he said. “We chatted for about 30 minutes yesterday. There’s not a whole lot. You’re just sort of there to help support.”
Roberts also said being back around the game can help, in its own way. “Getting back to what he loves to do and play baseball, I think that’s something that is therapeutic for him,” he said. And when the conversation turned to how the bullpen covered innings while Vesia was away, and how the Blue Jays supported in their way too, Roberts framed it as bigger than one team. “What the Blue Jays did speaks to the fraternity of baseball,” he said. “It’s life first.” Still, he admitted it’s hard to think about the postseason without Vesia on the field. “It’s tough for me to think about Alex not being a part of the World Series run because he’s meant so much to our team,” Roberts said, adding that he avoids leaning on it publicly because “I know it hurts.” He did say Vesia was connected through it all: “He was there rooting for us from home,” and Roberts thinks talking with media later will help him turn the page. “He’s going to speak to you guys later today, which I think is going to be good for him, and then wants to move forward after that.”
On the decision for Ohtani not pitching in the WBC, Roberts described it as a shared landing spot, not a single ruling. “It’s one of those things that we just all kind of talked and felt that what’s best for Sho, his career, what’s best for Team Japan, the Dodgers, all that,” he said. Roberts also pushed back on the idea that Ohtani is built differently from the rest of humanity. “As much as people think that he’s not human, he’s still a human being that’s had two major surgeries,” Roberts said. “He’s got a long career ahead of him.”
Roberts said he expects a “good professional bullpen” from Yamamoto, “nothing too extreme,” and a steady build day by day. As for whether Ohtani could sneak in a Cactus League outing before leaving, Roberts kept it simple: “It’s possible,” but “I don’t think he has a date yet on when he’s going to join Team Japan.” And yes, he heard the Roki Sasaki pitch-design chatter too. Roberts said he hasn’t seen the new looks yet, but he’s ready for it. “I haven’t seen it yet,” he said. “I’m very anxious.”
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