The decision is partly a matter of comfort, with Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto accustomed to pitching essentially once a week dating back to their time in Japan. It also factored prominently, the Dodgers believe, into their ability to land phenom Roki Sasaki this winter — like his countrymen, Sasaki is used to pitching on a once-per-week schedule.

After a dominant offensive season, Shohei Ohtani is making progress in his pitching recovery, aiming to return to the mound in 2025 with the Dodgers.

In an offseason where everything has seemed to come up favorably for the Los Angeles Dodgers, it’s no surprise that the team has also received a nice benefit with Shohei Ohtani.