Shohei Ohtani (31) of the Los Angeles Dodgers will take the mound for live pitching against Hyeseong Kim (26).
Japanese media outlet Sports Hochi reported on the 25th (Korea time), "Ohtani warmed up with some light catch before the game. He threw a mix of pitches, including sliders, during the catch. Manager Dave Roberts noted that Kim Hyeseong and Dalton Rushing would bat during Ohtani's live pitching session before the Mets away game today."
Ohtani is a two-way star player, with a batting average of .283 over 924 Major League games, totaling 3,318 at-bats, 938 hits, 242 home runs, 598 RBIs, 615 runs scored, 156 stolen bases, and an OPS of .951. As a pitcher, he has recorded 86 games (481⅔ innings), with 38 wins and 19 losses, and an earned run average of 3.01. He won the American League Rookie of the Year award in 2018 and has captured the American League MVP in 2021 and 2023, as well as the National League MVP last year, all unanimously.
In the last season, Ohtani achieved a batting average of .310 over 159 games (636 at-bats, 197 hits), with 54 home runs, 130 RBIs, 134 runs scored, and 59 stolen bases, leading to an OPS of 1.036. He became the first in Major League history to achieve 50 home runs and 50 stolen bases, earning the MVP while exclusively playing as a batter. However, his previous two MVP awards were both due to his contributions as a two-way player.
Ohtani underwent Tommy John surgery (elbow ligament reconstruction) in September 2023 and is looking to return as a pitcher this year. Initially, it was expected that he would take the mound at the start of the season, but he suffered a shoulder injury while stealing a base during Game 2 of last year's World Series, leading to the delay of his return as a pitcher.
Recently, Ohtani began throwing breaking balls during bullpen sessions and is expected to enter live pitching. Manager Roberts remarked, "Honestly, Ohtani's performance is often breathtaking. While it may seem commonplace now, if one stops to think about it, it's truly unbelievable. He underwent major surgery during the offseason but is producing this level of results. I try not to overthink it, but it's still remarkable. That kind of performance showcases what kind of player he is."
Hyeseong Kim, who will bat against Ohtani during the live pitching session, trained with Ohtani over the winter under the same agency. Kim made his Major League debut this year and has recorded a batting average of .395 over 17 games (38 at-bats, 15 hits), with 1 home run, 5 RBIs, 9 runs scored, 3 stolen bases, and an OPS of .925. He is not included in the starting lineup for today's game against the Mets.
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