Shohei Ohtani: No Complaints After First Day As Dodgers' Number-2 Hitter

Hitting between Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman in his first spring training game, Ohtani hit a two-run home run.

Shohei Ohtani's first postgame press conference as a Dodger featured much of what fans can come to expect from the team's newest superstar.

A cameraperson fell, ostensibly the result of a crowd of media jockeying for position in front of baseball's biggest attraction. Ohtani was typically humble in his comments to reporters — even after hitting a home run against Chicago White Sox pitcher Dominic Leone in his final at-bat. 

Ohtani was even polite in declining to answer a question from a reporter about his offseason visit to San Francisco; the Giants were among the finalists to sign Ohtani before he agreed to a 10-year, $700 million contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers in December.

Shohei Ohtani was asked today if he considered signing with the San Fransisco Giants. (🎥: @SportsNetLA)

He’s always polite no matter what, here’s his response: pic.twitter.com/zv75uFITA3

— Dodgers Nation (@DodgersNation) February 27, 2024

On the same day he was minted as the Dodgers' number-2 hitter, behind Mookie Betts and ahead of Freddie Freeman, Ohtani saved the bulk of his altruism for his teammates.

Asked if he expected to see more pitches in the strike zone with the former National League MVP Freeman hitting behind him, Ohtani hesitated.

"Today was the first game. It's hard to tell, but I definitely think it's gonna help out. It's not just Freddie. I've got Mookie in front of me and a bunch of great hitters past Freddie. I'm excited to see how it's going to feel like."

Via Dodgers Nation YouTube Channel

In explaining his reasoning for putting Ohtani between Betts and Freeman, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts complimented Ohtani's foot speed as well as Freeman's potential to "protect" Ohtani from being intentionally walked.

It's too soon to say how the lineup experiment will work. Betts and Freeman flied out in their fifth-inning at-bats around Ohtani's home run. In his first plate appearance, Ohtani struck out looking against Garrett Crochet. In his second plate appearance, Ohtani grounded into a double play. 

Ohtani finished 1-for-3 and Freeman went 0-for-2, while Betts finished 1-for-3 with a single.

However they line up by the time the regular season begins, it will be history.

When the Dodgers have Betts-Ohtani-Freeman in the lineup in the regular season, they will be the first team to have a starting lineup with 3 or more former MVPs batting sequentially (1-9) since the 1996 Red Sox, with:

Mo Vaughn, Jose Canseco, Kevin Mitchell

h/t @EliasSports https://t.co/CGToq6Ta6h

— Sarah Langs (@SlangsOnSports) February 27, 2024