Shohei Ohtani set to start Wednesday at Camelback Ranch

GLENDALE. Ariz. — The anticipation around Shohei Ohtani never really fades. It just shifts form. This week, it shifts back to the mound.

For the first time since returning from international duty, Ohtani is scheduled to start Wednesday for the Los Angeles Dodgers in Cactus League play against the San Francisco Giants at Camelback Ranch — a notable checkpoint in what has been a carefully managed spring.

Ohtani rejoined the club Monday after a whirlwind stint with Japan national baseball team in the World Baseball Classic, where expectations — as always — were enormous. The Dodgers, however, have remained focused on the long game. And that long game begins to take clearer shape this week.

Manager Dave Roberts laid out the immediate plan: a bullpen session Tuesday, followed by Wednesday’s start, with another outing penciled in during the Freeway Series back in Southern California.

“Not sure how many innings he’ll give us, but he’s gonna go tomorrow,” Roberts said.

There’s a measured tone to everything the Dodgers are doing with Ohtani right now. Even the innings projection — “three or four is fair,” Roberts added — reflects a balance between urgency and restraint. Ohtani has already built up to four innings in live settings, but the organization is clearly resisting the temptation to accelerate simply because it’s Ohtani.

And that restraint has consequences.

With this schedule, Ohtani is effectively ruled out for the opening series at Dodger Stadium. It’s a notable absence, not just because of his talent, but because of the moment — his first regular-season introduction to Chavez Ravine in Dodger blue as a pitcher will have to wait.

Instead, the current trajectory lines him up for an early-April turn on the road, potentially when the Dodgers visit the Washington Nationals to open the month. It’s a quieter stage, comparatively, but perhaps a more practical one given the ramp-up.

There are other reminders that this is still a progression, not a finished product. Ohtani won’t hit Wednesday while he pitches, with Roberts confirming his next game action at the plate is expected Friday.

“He’s gonna get in the game to hit on Friday,” Roberts said.

That separation — pitcher one day, hitter another — underscores where Ohtani is in his buildup. The two-way rhythm isn’t fully synced yet. Not in mid-March. Not after international travel, high-leverage innings, and the physical toll that comes with both.

But even in this fragmented version, the draw is undeniable.

A midweek spring start in Glendale suddenly carries weight. Not because of what Ohtani is right now — a pitcher expected to give three or four innings — but because of what he’s trending toward.

For the Dodgers, Wednesday isn’t about dominance. It’s about direction. And for Ohtani, the mound is once again the clearest indication of where this season is headed.