The Dodgers didn’t take on-field batting practice as a team on Wednesday afternoon.
But, in an exceedingly rare occurrence, superstar slugger Shohei Ohtani did.
Since joining the Dodgers, Ohtani has rarely hit on the field before games. The few times it has happened, it’s usually a sign he is looking for something in his swing.
That appeared to be the case Wednesday, with Ohtani saying the night before his swing felt “a little off” following a 3-for-15 start to his season.
“When I swing at hittable pitches,” he said in Japanese, “I’m not getting the results I want most.”
Case in point: He has yet to hit a home run, or even record an extra-base hit –– with opposing pitchers instead approaching him carefully in an opening week that has seen him draw an MLB-leading six walks.
“I do like the way he’s being selective and taking walks when they’re given,” manager Dave Roberts said.
“There hasn’t been a whole lot of hard contact because I do think they’re just not making a whole lot of mistakes with him. That will come. I think, for me, I would just preach just patience and trust that the guys behind him will figure some things out.”
However, Ohtani seemed to be tinkering nonetheless.
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In his first round in the cage, he appeared to be swinging at less than full intensity, yet was hitting bombs halfway up the right-field pavilion anyway.
After that, he launched a string of high-arcing fly balls to center and right field. As he walked back to the dugout afterward, he continued practicing his hitting motion with his bat in his left hand.
Despite his lack of power, Ohtani has reached safely in every game this season. Going back to last year, that has given him a 36-game on-base streak; the longest current run in the majors, and one that has tied his MLB career high.
Wednesday’s game will be important for Ohtani for another, too.
Last year, he hit just .147 on the days after he pitched. Wednesday will his first such game this year, giving him another chance to show his return to full-time pitching won’t impact his hitting.
On Tuesday night, he passed his first test by reaching base three times during his scoreless six-inning start.
