Dodgers manager reveals Shohei Ohtani's sleep schedule plans for Tokyo Series
As the Los Angeles Dodgers gear up for the Tokyo Series on March 18 and 19, manager Dave Roberts revealed that Shohei Ohtani has already planned his sleep schedule in anticipation of the time difference in Japan. The Dodgers will kick off their MLB season against the Chicago Cubs at Tokyo Dome on Tuesday next week and their Japanese stars will take center stage.
After his hugely successful first season with the Dodgers, Shohei Ohtani will begin their defence of the title this month with the start of the MLB regular season. The superstar is well known for his discipline off the field, especially for his emphasis on sleep and the role it plays in recovery. Now preparing to start the new season in Japan, Ohtani has once again planned his sleep schedule well ahead of time to be fresh for the season opener.
The local time in Tokyo, Japan is 16 hours ahead of the local time in LA, meaning jet lag will be a huge factor for the travelling players. While the team's management is usually responsible for tackling such issues, manager Dave Roberts reveals that Ohtani has his own plans.
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"Shohei was up local time at 1:00 am staying up to then once he gets on the airplane today, to sleep the whole time," Roberts said via MLB Network. "So then he is up and frisky at 3:00 pm local time. So he can go and get on schedule in local time in Tokyo."
After the Dodgers land in Tokyo, there are several events planned for the team amidst the huge fanfare surrounding their Japanese stars. In addition to the formal events, Roberts has revealed that Ohtani, along with compatriots Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Roki Sasaki, are planning a mandatory sushi dinner for the 31 teammates travelling to Japan.
Shohei Ohtani gives humble answer to being called the golden generation of Japanese baseball
After arriving in Japan for the Tokyo Series, Ohtani attended a press conference to answer a few questions put forward by local reporters. During the interview, the Japanese superstar was asked if this is the golden generation of Japanese baseball players.
"It's hard to tell if this is the golden age of Japanese players in the US because I know there's been a lot of Japanese players that came before me, but having five is a big deal," Ohtani replied.
There will be five Japanese players taking the field at Tokyo Dome next week. While Ohtani, Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Roki Sasaki represent the Dodgers, Shota Imanaga and Seiya Suzuki will represent the Cubs' contingent of Japanese players.