Dodgers Interview: Shohei reveals the one batter he wouldn’t mind facing at the WBC

CAMELBACK RANCH, AZ– The Dodgers played the Padres in Peoria today, but Shohei Ohtani was back at the ranch, getting in work. He gave Dodgers fans a lot to like during his Sunday workout. He threw two innings, got in batting practice, and then spoke with reporters about where his build-up stands before he heads to Japan. The biggest theme from his comments was simple and clear: he got the volume he wanted on the mound, and he feels good about where his routine is right now. He also touched on his hitting work, staying healthy, and even the possibility of baseball in the 2028 Olympics.

After the workout, Ohtani said the main goal on the pitching side was getting innings in, and he came away satisfied with that part of the day. “I was able to throw the inning volume today, so that was good,” he said. “As for what comes next, it will probably be something like a simulation game, whether that’s live or in the bullpen, probably more like a bullpen simulation.”

That answer fit the way he framed the whole day. He talked about the outing as part of a steady progression, with the focus on building toward game shape one step at a time. He also explained that Sunday’s session had a different purpose than his last one. “In terms of feel, the previous time was better,” Ohtani said. “But today I was focused more on throwing volume, so in that sense I think it was good.”

On the hitting side, Ohtani was asked whether he feels he needs more at-bats before leaving. He kept the answer grounded in his usual approach and pointed right back to health. “As a hitter, whether I need more plate appearances before I go, the most important thing is maintaining a healthy condition,” he said. “If I can do that, then as I keep stacking at-bats, the actual game feel will keep coming back more and more.”

That line stood out because it sounded like Ohtani in a nutshell. He did not make it complicated. He put health first, then reps, then timing. “Maintaining a healthy condition is the number one thing,” he said again in essence, and from there he described the game feel returning as he continues to get work in.

He also got a question about a hypothetical World Baseball Classic moment, specifically a championship game against Team USA in the ninth inning and whether he might want the ball in that situation. Ohtani smiled and gave a playful answer. “Yeah, maybe,” he said. “If the last hitter is Mike Trout, maybe.”

Of course, Ohtani famously struck out his former Angels teammate to give Samurai Japan the victory in the 2023 WBC. It should be noted that Trout is not even on the Team USA roster so the chances of that actually happening are… remote.

Another topic was what it means for him to talk this spring as a regular starting pitcher again, without the rehab process hanging over every update. Ohtani said the peace of mind comes from something very basic. “Going through a normal season is the biggest thing,” he said. “I said that before too, but that’s the most important thing. Up to this point, everything has gone smoothly, and being here without any major injury, at this stage, that already feels like enough for me right now.”

That comment probably tells Dodgers fans plenty about where his head is. He sounded grateful for a normal rhythm. He sounded comfortable with the pace. He sounded focused on continuing what has already been a smooth camp.

Ohtani was also asked about baseball being part of the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles, and he answered with clear enthusiasm for the sport. “I think it’s a wonderful thing for baseball,” he said. “If players want to play, then that’s a wonderful thing too. I don’t know yet which players will be in that situation, but having that kind of framework in place is really a great thing.”

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