Shohei Ohtani 'very confident' of new role for Dodgers during South Korea series
Shohei Ohtani is still recovering from the elbow procedure he had done in the offseason. It will keep him off the mound for the 2024 season, and he will be operating as the Dodgers' DH.
LA kicks off the season on March 20 against the San Diego Padres in the Seoul Series in South Korea. Ohtani has been rehabbing all off-season long and believes he is on track for recovery.
Ohtani will start hitting velocity when he reports to Spring Training. The two-way phenom attended DodgerFest on Saturday and stated he feels "very confident" that he'll be ready for Opening Day, per ESPN's Alden Gonzalez.
That news should surely boost Dodgers fans' excitement for Opening Day. Acquiring Shohei Ohtani was the team's most significant move during the off-season.
Ohtani agreed to a massive 10-year, $700 million contract, of which he will defer $680 million until after the contract expires. The Dodgers are in good hands for the next decade.
Shohei Ohtani is not the only player fans should get excited about
While Shohei Ohtani was the talk of the offseason, he is not the only player the fanbase should be excited about. They added a handful of other players who will be core members of the team.
Yoshinobu Yamamoto was one of the best pitchers on the open market. He is expected to be a star after dominating over in Japan. He will headline the rotation with another off-season acquisition.
Tyler Glasnow signed with the team shortly after Ohtani. He was traded from the Tampa Bay Rays alongside Manuel Margot. He is a frontline starter the team needed with the injuries in their rotation.
While not as impactful as the previously mentioned additions, they also signed James Paxton to secure their rotation. Paxton is coming off a season with the Boston Red Sox, where he appeared in 19 games, compiling a 7-5 record with a 4.50 ERA.
Some returning players will see a workload at a new position. All-Star outfielder Mookie Betts is expected to receive much of the work at second base this season, while Gavin Lux is expected to start as shortstop.
The Dodgers have a great opportunity to be a menace to the rest of the league for years. On paper, they have one of the best rosters in the league, but sometimes, that does not transition to the field. Fans will have to wait and see just how good this team is.