Shohei Ohtani (Los Angeles Dodgers) will be able to pitch in next year’s Major League Baseball (MLB) Seoul Series without any problems.
Ohtani held an official press conference to announce his signing with the Dodgers at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, California, USA, on July 15 (KST).
“I won’t be able to throw a ball until next year, but I won’t have any restrictions on hitting,” he said.
Ohtani, who has been one of MLB’s top stars as a pitcher and hitter, had his season ended early in September due to elbow pain. He has since undergone surgery and is rehabbing.
This will prevent him from taking the mound next year. 안전놀이터 Instead, “Ohtani the hitter” is expected to be available from Opening Day.
“I took a dry swing last week (swinging the bat lightly without the ball). I’m in really good shape for Opening Day,” he said, adding, “I’m confident that if I participate in spring training as scheduled and play in exhibition games, I won’t have any problems batting on Opening Day.”
If Ohtani does start on Opening Day
His first official game in a Dodgers uniform will be in South Korea, not the United States or Japan.
The MLB office, which is on a “world tour” to globalize baseball, announced in July that the 2024 season opener between the Los Angeles Dodgers and San Diego Padres will be held in Seoul on March 20-21, 2024. In August, an MLB due diligence team traveled to Seoul to inspect the facilities at Gocheok SkyDome.
The Seoul series, which will be Ohtani’s first game in a Dodgers uniform, is of great interest to MLB. The opening game, Dodgers-San Diego, will be broadcast live across the United States on ESPN.
Ohtani, who made his big league debut with the Los Angeles Angels in 2018 after playing in Nippon Professional Baseball, 사설 토토사이트 signed a massive 10-year, $700 million contract with the Dodgers on Tuesday.