One of the concerns many people have about Shohei Ohtani is the risk that comes with being a two-way player while continuing to play almost every game without rest.

Until 2020, Ohtani had not completed a full season as a two-way player due to factors such as elbow surgery. However, since winning the MVP in 2021, he has played with very few breaks.

In 2021, Ohtani recorded nine wins as a pitcher and hit 46 home runs as a batter. Yet in the second half of the season, when the team was no longer in contention for the postseason, there were calls suggesting that he should rest more.

Angels manager Joe Maddon also considered giving him time off, thinking that he must have been quite fatigued. However, Ohtani reportedly said without hesitation that he wanted to keep playing.

His reasoning was as follows:

“I need to keep pitching. Every time I take the mound, I learn something new, and I feel myself getting better. I’ll keep pitching next year and beyond. The experience I’ve gained this year will be a huge asset for my future career.”

Unlike practice, there are many things that can only be learned in real games. With each outing, he improves as a pitcher, and with every at-bat, he grows as a hitter.

For Ohtani, who sees every opportunity to play as a chance to improve, the option of “resting” may be far less significant than it is for most players.

Source

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

Sho-Time: Shohei Ohtani, the Man Who Changed 120 Years of Major League History, p.322