Dodgers’ Shohei Ohtani Falls Asleep in Dugout During Blowout vs Yankees

To be fair, Ohtani had had quite the day.

Ohtani was throwing just his second live batting practice in about two calendar years a few short hours before the blowout victory.

Most sluggers who ever step foot in an MLB ballpark likely won't experience having to throw a simulated inning and still go 2-for-4 as a designated hitter a few hours later, but that is just a testament to Ohtani's greatness. Although a dugout isn't the most ideal place for a nap, perhaps Ohtani needed the rest.

The two innings and 29 pitches for Ohtani was a slight increase from last week, and instead of Hyeseong Kim, Dalton Rushing, and a Dodgers performance coach, the three-time MVP was up against two minor league players as well as Rushing.

Ohtani spoke last week on his first live batting practice and the plan to ramp up the hitting talent during his sessions.

“I’m going to do live BPs once a week moving forward,” he said. “On the road, I’m sure it’s going to be a little bit difficult to get quality hitters to stand in at times, but at home I should be able to get good minor-league hitters to stand in.”

Although it may be enticing to get Ohtani back on the mound amid the constant pitching injuries for the Dodgers, the main goal is to have Ohtani's best pitching capabilities in October.

If the process feels like it's painstakingly slow, a lot of it is by design. To protect the hitting talent that Ohtani brings to the plate everyday, while hoping to get the most out of his arm, the progressions will continue to slowly build up.