The Dodgers are hopeful that the real challenge for Shohei Ohtani this year won’t be about his health, but rather his process of re-acclimating to the two-way role that made him a superstar.

Ohtani says he will throw his first traditional bullpen session this weekend, at which point he will begin the process of preparing to join the Dodgers’ rotation, likely in May.

Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani qualifies as a two-way player in the eyes of MLB despite being unable to pitch in 2024 thanks to a change in the eligibility rule. The Athletic's Fabian Ardaya and Ken Rosenthal confirmed a player can now get two-way status on the basis of his usage over the past two seasons.