Shohei hot as can be with Angels on deck

Shohei 3 hits, 2 RBIs, 3 RBIs in a row, open game against the Rockies

The Dodgers’ $700 million (deferred) man continued his obliteration of the Cactus League by going 3-for-3 with a triple, two RBIs and two runs in the Dodgers’ 7-4 win over the Rockies on Sunday afternoon at Camelback Ranch. He has reached base in seven consecutive plate appearances. And following the Dodgers’ scheduled off-day Monday, Shohei Ohtani is expected to be in the lineup again Tuesday when the Halos visit.

Though the storyline that day is bound to be Ohtani’s first game against the club he departed in free agency, the more meaningful story is that the Dodgers are planning to start Ohtani at DH for that Tuesday night game followed by a day game Wednesday against the White Sox.

Those would be Shohei Ohtani’s first games on back-to-back days of the spring — another significant step in his recovery from the September elbow surgery that will keep him on the shelf as a pitcher this year.

“I think he’s probably ahead of where we expected,” manager Dave Roberts said. “But even talking to him this winter, he said he felt incredible. He was encouraged about his progression. To see where he’s at right now, it’s obviously a good thing. But I don’t think he’s surprised by it.”

Shohei Ohtani has played three spring games and rocked them all, compiling a .714/.778/1.429 slash line in nine plate appearances.

Dodgers manager Roberts said of Ohtani’s batting, “Shohei is highly concentrated and is ready to respond to any ball. He can identify difficult balls, and when he passes over home plate, he swings the bat well. He is a high-quality ball. He was batting and today was another good day for him.”

On Sunday, Mookie Betts, Ohtani and Freddie Freeman rudely greeted Rockies starter Austin Gomber with consecutive singles in the first inning — a window into what we’re likely to see often from the Dodgers’ Big Three atop the order this season.

https://www.mlb.com/dodgers