Why Dave Roberts expects Shohei Ohtani to be ‘in the Cy Young conversation’
PHOENIX — Dodgers manager Dave Roberts has high expectations for Shohei Ohtani this season. But even with those high expectations a topic of conversation Friday as pitchers and catchers conducted their first official workouts at Camelback Ranch, the superstar two-way player has already found a way to surpass them.
“I came to camp in early February,” Ohtani said through interpreter Will Ireton after a bullpen session. “This is my third bullpen with pretty good intensity. … I’m not really sure how I’ll be able to train in the WBC setting, so I’m going to try to increase as much as possible to a point where I’m throwing a live blood pressure, which should be next week.”
The 2026 season will be Ohtani’s third year with the Dodgers and his first unrestricted pitch. Fully recovered from his second Tommy John surgery, Ohtani was able to enjoy a regular, albeit short, offseason. With Ohtani in full bloom, Roberts has even higher hopes for the four-time MVP in the upcoming season.
“I think there’s definitely a lot more to it, and whatever my expectations of him are, his are going to exceed them,” Roberts said Friday. “I think it’s fair to say he expects to be in the Cy Young conversation, but we just want to be healthy and get some starts and all the numbers and stats will take care of themselves, but man, this guy is such a disciplined worker and expects the best out of himself.”
Ohtani’s highest ranking in Cy Young Award voting came in 2022, when, still a member of the Angels, he finished fourth after recording 15 wins, a 2.33 ERA and a 1.012 WHIP in 166 innings pitched. Ohtani suffered a torn ulnar collateral ligament the following season, requiring Tommy John surgery.
“If the end result is getting a Cy Young, that’s awesome,” Ohtani said. “Getting a Cy Young means being able to throw more innings and pitching throughout the season, so if that’s the end result, that’s a good sign for me. I’m just focusing on my health all year long.”
Ohtani played in 14 games last season, recording 47 innings pitched. Roberts liked what he saw in the small sample size.
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“I think what was most surprising last year was his command,” Roberts said. “And I will say he still thinks his command wasn’t up to par, but given the Tommy John and what command generally looks like the following year, he was above that. So, I think that was impressive. His ability to command the two different breaking balls, change the shape of his breaking balls was pretty impressive, and everything he does is for a purpose. So, I’m really excited to see with the whole offseason and just getting ready and not getting ready. rehabilitate, what he can do this year.
Physically, Roberts believes Ohtani is in the right place entering the ninth year of his career.
“I think he looks strong,” Roberts said. “He looks strong, but he doesn’t have too much mass. Just watching him throw, watching him run, his body moves well. I think he’s in a great place. Just looking at him, the muscle mass, it just seems like he’s in a great place.”
Ohtani and Roberts said they don’t yet know when Ohtani and some of his teammates will leave for the World Baseball Classic, but Ohtani will continue to gain momentum between now and next month’s event. Last month at DodgerFest, Roberts announced that Ohtani would not pitch in the WBC in order to focus on pitching in the regular season.
“Even though people think he’s not human, he’s still a human being who’s had two surgeries,” Roberts said Friday. “He has a long career ahead of him.”
Yoshinobu Yamamoto launches BP live
Yoshinobu Yamamoto held live batting practice Friday as the World Series MVP took the mound for the first time since recording the final out of last year’s Fall Classic. Yamamoto threw 20 pitches to two of his teammates, with right-handed catcher Will Smith and left-handed infielder Hyeseong Kim alternating at bat.
Kim turned on a pair of Yamamoto fastballs, ripping a pair of hits into right field.
A little more than an hour before Yamamoto pitched, reporters asked Roberts about Yamamoto’s durability, following a postseason in which the 27-year-old totaled 526 pitches, capped by a herculean effort in Game 7 that propelled the Dodgers to their second consecutive World Series championship.
“I just think he knows his limitations and he’s prepared, so I’m not too worried about it,” Roberts said.
Yamamoto wasn’t the only pitcher to see it run on the Dodgers’ first day of camp. Among those who will hold a bullpen session Friday: veteran Tyler Glasnow, promising sophomore Roki Sasaki, playoff hero Will Klein, newcomer Edwin Díaz and Ohtani.
Staff writer Anthony Solorzano contributed to this report.
