After leading the Dodgers to a World Series title in 2024, Dave Roberts expects the Japanese stars to make key contributions in the upcoming season.
Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said he’s not planning to have Shohei Ohtani pitch against the Chicago Cubs in the team’s 2025 MLB season-opening series on March 18-19 at Tokyo Dome.
That said, the two-time World Series-winning manager expects the 2024 National League MVP to make a profound impact as a two-way player next year. Roberts also outlined his expectations for Ohtani in his upcoming second season in a Dodgers uniform.
As well as answering numerous questions about Ohtani, Roberts also spoke about starting pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto during a wide-ranging news conference on Wednesday, December 4 in Tokyo.
“I think the most important factor in managing Shohei next year is going to be his health,” Roberts told the news conference. “And so he will be pitching next year as well as hitting. I think it’s just going to be the honest conversations about how he’s feeling because I don’t expect him to have as many plate appearances (731) as he did this year because he’s going to be a pitcher as well.”
It all boils down to this, according to Roberts: “How can we manage his workload to keep him healthy and strong throughout the entire season?”
For Roberts, the 2025 season will be his first managing a two-way player.
“This is something that he’s done before,” Roberts said of Ohtani. “So I’m going to have to lean on him and the training staff to make decisions as far as the lineup.”
Roberts gave reporters a quick update on Ohtai’s offseason recovery from surgery on his left shoulder, which he injured in the World Series, saying the Dodgers superstar told him this week that “his rehab is going well.”
Dodgers Skipper Explains Why Ohtani Won’t Pitch in Tokyo
Toward the end of the press conference, which lasted about 45 minutes, Roberts was asked if Ohtani may pitch in the season-opening series against the Cubs. The veteran manager reiterated his viewpoint that “I don’t think that’s going to happen.”
He continued: “I expect him to be in the lineup as a hitter, but as far as the pitching, because he hasn’t pitched in over a year, we have to manage how many innings he has for 2025. And if we start in March, he won’t be able to sustain that through October. We have to figure out when to begin Shohei pitching in games. I just don’t see that in March.”
Dave Roberts speaks at a news conference in Tokyo on December 4. (KYODO)
Insights on Managing Dodgers Stars Ohtani and Yamamoto
In 2024, Roberts had a close-up view while watching Ohtani smack 54 home runs and steal 59 bases. The pride of Iwate Prefecture became the first player in MLB history to have 50 or more in both categories in the same season.
Roberts also saw Yamamoto make strong contributions (7-2, 3.00 ERA in 18 starts) in the injury-shortened first year of his blockbuster 12-year contract with the Dodgers. For Yamamoto, it included his Game 2 victory ― 6⅓ innings, allowing one hit and one run ― in the World Series against the New York Yankees.
“First off, managing Shohei this year as a hitter and Yoshinobu this year as a pitcher are different,” Roberts commented. “They were both very easy to manage, they’re both very self-motivated.
“I think with Yoshinobu we built a trust early, because the relationship between a starting pitcher and the manager is very important,” added Roberts. “And just trying to manage his innings, his pitches, is always difficult if you don’t have the trust.”
How does Roberts assess the pitcher-manager relationship in Year 1?
“Yoshi and I, I thought we did a great job together,” the manager remarked.
Dodgers starter Yoshinobu Yamamoto pitches in Game 2 of the 2024 World Series on October 26. (KYODO)
A Promising Future with the Dodgers
What should the Dodgers expect from Yamamoto in 2025 and beyond?
Roberts is optimistic that Yamamoto’s overall quality in his MLB debut season laid the foundation for future success.
In his role as the dugout boss, Roberts emphasized that it’s important for him to continue “challenging him to be better each year. That’s how I feel we can continue to make him a better pitcher.”
Shohei Ohtani belts a three-run home run in the third inning of the 2024 MLB All-Star Game on July 16 in Arlington, Texas. (KYODO)Roberts Says Ohtani Can Improve as a Hitter
Ohtani nearly won the National League Triple Crown this past season. In addition to his NL-best 54 homers, he led the league in RBIs (130) and finished second in batting average (.310), trailing only San Diego Padres first baseman Luis Arraez, who hit .314.
By all accounts, it was a remarkable season. And Roberts believes Ohtani can make some adjustments to become an even more dangerous batter.
“I think with Shohei there were some parts of the season where he was a little too aggressive swinging,” Roberts told the news conference. “And I think there’s still room in there for him to be a little more disciplined at the plate, where I think we can make him even potentially even better.”
Dave Roberts greets onlookers in Naha, Okinawa Prefecture, on December 6. A day earlier, he received a Special Honor Award from the city. (ⒸSANKEI)
An Appreciation for Japan’s Dodgers Fans
At various times throughout the news conference, Roberts expressed thanks to baseball fans in Japan for their support of the Dodgers.
“I know it’s good to hear during the baseball season your day here starts with the Dodgers in the morning,” Roberts said with a smile.
He added, “I think baseball is the greatest game ever invented and it’s just such an honor to have Japanese players come over to the [United] States, Japanese fans come over to the States and the Japanese media has been amazing.”
Roberts pointed out that visual reminders of Japan’s love of baseball are a big part of the culture here.
Making his first trip to Japan in 20 years, Roberts stated, “This morning, texting with our general manager [Brandon Gomes] about how excited I was [about coming] back here in March [2025]. You can see how much people in Japan and Tokyo love baseball. They love the Dodgers. This is going to be the biggest sports event in quite some time here, and so I’m thrilled.”
Los Angeles Dodgers teammates Shohei Ohtani (left) and Yoshinobu Yamamoto in an April 2024 file photo. (©SANKEI)
