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.

Even with Shohei Ohtani receiving a pitching injury update from Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts, Ohtani himself described some of the feelings he’s had. After having shoulder surgery in the offseason,