In Major League Baseball, when a player undergoes a procedure such as Tommy John surgery, the timeline for returning—both as a hitter and as a pitcher—is generally well-defined.

This is because rehabilitation programs are carefully structured, and by following them step by step, a player can work toward a safe return.

From a scheduling standpoint, this provides clarity.

But at the same time, strictly adhering to a limited rehabilitation program can be mentally and physically challenging.

After undergoing Tommy John surgery at the end of the 2018 season, Shohei Ohtani returned to Japan and gave an interview to Number magazine.

When asked about his progress, he immediately responded:

“It’s been 53 days since I started rehab.”

His precise answer reflected how carefully and consistently he was following his program.

He was also asked whether it was difficult to hold back, given that rehab often requires avoiding overtraining.

His response was simple:

“No, it’s not that hard.”

According to Ohtani, training is not about doing as much as possible.

What matters is how to select what is necessary

and execute it efficiently within limited time.

Even when he was unable to swing a bat due to his condition,

he could still stand in front of a mirror, hold a bat, and visualize the trajectory of the ball.

Rather than dwelling on what he couldn’t do,

he chose to let go of those limitations—

and focus on what he could do, as effectively as possible.

Source

This quote comes from a Japanese book published in Japan and is not currently available in English.

Number 968–969, p.13