Dodgers to play Shohei Ohtani in some games before WBC duty - ESPN

GLENDALE, Ariz. — Shohei Ohtani is scheduled to play a couple of Cactus League games for the two-time defending World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers before he departs the desert to join Japan for the World Baseball Classic.

He was in the lineup leading off as designated hitter scheduled for two or three at-bats for the club's spring training opener Saturday afternoon against the Angels at Tempe Diablo Stadium.

«Sometimes he takes two and he feels good or he wants that third at-bat,» manager Dave Roberts said.

When asked about Ohtani's travel plans, Roberts smiled and said, «I promised I'd try.»

Ohtani is scheduled to pitch against live hitting Sunday — and Roberts has already said the 31-year-old two-way star should be in the Cy Young Award conversation this season.

«I know that it's going to be soon. He's going to play in a couple Cactus League games, but I'm not exactly sure when his plane ticket is. He hasn't said,» Roberts said. «So I don't know what day he's going to join Team Japan.»

In addition, right-hander and reigning World Series MVP Yoshinobu Yamamoto was starting on the mound to pitch two innings and around 35 pitches for his lone outing for the Dodgers before he also joins the Japanese team for the WBC.

«Obviously him going and pitching for Team Japan, he's going to be kind of trying to ramp it up and get prepared so I think it's just more of what he does strike one, use his secondaries and be efficient and get some outs,» Roberts said.

Once Yamamoto returns to Los Angeles' camp, he will be scheduled for around four innings and 60 pitches initially, according to Roberts.

The 27-year-old Yamamoto, who signed a $325 million, 12-year contract in December 2023, went 3-0 with a 1.09 ERA in the Dodgers'