Shohei Ohtani will step into the batter’s box on Friday night under the Arizona lights for the first time this spring, facing his former team that he spent his first six Major League seasons with.
Ordinarily, a player making his Cactus League debut for that season is not something to write home about, but this is Shohei Ohtani we’re talking about. The reigning National League MVP, World Series Champion, and transcendent two-way sensation. So naturally, whenever Ohtani does anything on the baseball field, it comes with plenty of attention and anticipation.
The three-time MVP is scheduled to make his first appearance of spring training against his old team the Angels, at Camelback Ranch in Glendale, AZ at 5:05 PM PT.
Ohtani will not pitch in that game despite throwing bullpen sessions this spring. Dodgers’ manager Dave Roberts said that he doesn’t expect Ohtani to pitch in a game until May at the earliest.
Ohtani will likely leadoff on Friday and serve as the designated hitter, as he continues his recovery from offseason elbow surgery.
Despite being limited to only hitting, Ohtani turned his first season with the Dodgers into a masterpiece: 54 home runs, 59 stolen bases, and a third unanimous MVP award. He became the first player in MLB history to enter the elusive 50/50 club, blending raw power with elite speed in a way never before seen on a baseball diamond.
His dominance was undeniable, but his season ended with a different kind of history—sliding into second base during Game 2 of the World Series against the Yankees, injuring his left shoulder in the process. The Dodgers won their first title since 2020, but the image of Ohtani celebrating with his arm in a sling was a reminder that he still has one chapter left to write.
His second season in blue begins, fittingly, against the Angels, the team he left in free agency after six seasons of individual brilliance overshadowed by organizational mediocrity. Ohtani’s decision to sign a record-setting $700 million deal with the Dodgers wasn’t just about money—it was about legacy. It was about October. And ultimately, it was about winning.
Facing the Angels again won’t come with the drama of a rivalry, but it will serve as a full-circle moment. The club that once promised him a two-way dream will now watch from the opposing dugout as he takes the next step in his evolution as a Dodger.
Ohtani will use the remaining Cactus League games the team has left to tune-up his swing, and shake off any rust before the Dodgers travel to his home country of Japan where they will open up the 2025 MLB season against the Chicago Cubs at the Tokyodome on March 18 and 19.
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