In the offseason, Shohei Ohtani made the decision to remain in Los Angeles. He made a switch from the Angels to the Los Angeles Dodgers and signed the largest contract in MLB history. Since signing, he has experienced a series of “firsts”: his initial press conference as a member of the Dodgers, his first swings with the team, and now his inaugural official batting practice in spring training wearing full Dodgers gear. MLB shared a few photos of Ohtani in his new uniform, and it’s safe to say that the blue looks fantastic on him. He is transitioning from a team that consistently underperforms to a franchise that can almost guarantee postseason contention throughout his contract. Ohtani is already taking swings after recovering from two injuries that sidelined him for most of September: a torn UCL and an oblique strain. The oblique strain is no longer a concern, but he underwent surgery for the elbow injury and will not be able to pitch until 2025. However, the Dodgers are counting on him to be a top hitter in 2024 and have high expectations for him. In just five months of play, he achieved a career-high 1.066 OPS and hit 44 home runs. He accomplished this while surrounded by a group of average hitters and Mike Trout. It remains to be seen what he can achieve with the likes of Freddie Freeman, Mookie Betts, Will Smith, Max Muncy, Jason Heyward, Gavin Lux, and other exceptional hitters batting in front of him or driving him in. It is likely that his run and RBI numbers will approach or surpass his previous career highs. The world is eagerly anticipating the opportunity to watch Ohtani compete in the postseason, and barring any injuries, he will almost certainly have that chance.
According to the Source thecoldwire.com