SHOHEI Ohtani has announced that he will not participate in the Home Run Derby this season.
While Ohtani is hitting homers during the regular season, he wants to focus on continuing the rehab of his throwing arm.
3
Ohtani participated in the 2021 Derby at Coors Field, losing in the first round of the event.
This year, All Star festivities will take place at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas.
Ohtani will certainly be there as a National League All Star, but he doesn’t want to hinder his progression from Tommy John Surgery to the event.
“I’m in the middle of my rehab, so it won’t feel like I’m going to participate,” Ohtani said through a translator.
The Los Angeles Dodgers star underwent surgery in September before signing his $700 million contract.
He’s just hitting this season instead of his typical two-way responsibilities.
Ohtani is setting the league on fire, batting .316 with 26 home runs and 62 RBI.
He currently leads the National League in runs scored, home runs, batting average, slugging percentage and OPS.
Despite his batting prowess, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts explained that it made more sense for him to sit out the Derby this year.
“He signed up here to help us win a championship and nothing should get in the way of that,” Roberts said.
“In any other normal situation where he wasn’t in rehab, I think he would love to participate.
“I know it weighs heavily on him, but I think the rehab process is something that ultimately makes him feel better about quitting.”
Roberts said the Derby is an exception to Ohtani’s MLB schedule that could hinder his rehabilitation process.
“When you play every day along with rehab, it’s very regulated, so when you have an atypical situation, like a Home Run Derby, it’s something a person is prepared for,” he said.
“It would be a real disappointment not only for Shohei, for the Dodgers and also for the fans if something happened during something like this, which is essentially an exhibition.”
Fans shared their disappointment at not seeing MLB’s biggest star teeing off in the Home Run Derby.
Five Major MLB Rule Changes in 2024
1. The pitch clock is reduced from 20 to 18 seconds with runners on base. It will remain at 15 seconds with the bases empty.
2. When a pitching change is made, the inning clock will reset to 2:00 instead of 2:15 as happened last year.
3. Teams will only be able to visit four mounds per game in 2024, compared to five last season.
4. Defenders and defenders blocking bases will be called for obstruction.
5. The runners’ lane from home plate to first base has been widened to include the dirt between the grass and the white line.
“I understand why, but every year that Shohei Ohtani doesn’t participate in the HR Derby is a loss for the event,” said one fan.
“I’m upset that he wasn’t in the classic. But I understand,” said another fan.
So far, only Gunnar Henderson has committed to competing in the Derby.
There are still seven places left for the Derby, which this year will follow a new format.
Previously, the event was a tournament-style bracket in which players faced each other in three rounds of competition.
This year, all eight players will hit in the first round, and the top four players will move on to the knockout stage.
3
This story originally appeared on The-sun.com read the full story
