The MLB season is scheduled to begin nearly four months later than usual, and that delay has given Shohei Ohtani enough time to return to his role as both a pitcher and hitter.
Los Angeles Angels general manager Billy Eppler told the media on Tuesday that Ohtani will be a two-way player when the 2020 season begins.
Ohtani would not have been ready to pitch if the season started on time, as he just began throwing live batting practice in May. The delay has given him more time to recover from the Tommy John surgery he underwent in October 2018, so in some ways the postponement of the season may end up helping the Angels.
Ohtani had a solid season as a hitter last year, batting .286 with 18 home runs and 62 RBI in 106 games. Those numbers were very similar to his rookie season in 2018, when he hit .285 with 20 homers and 61 RBI. As a pitcher in 2018, Ohtani made 10 starts and went 4-2 with a 3.31 ERA.
If the video we recently saw of Ohtani deadlifting an insane amount of weight is any indication, the 25-year-old could do some serious damage even in a shortened season.
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