After struggling through two difficult seasons, Shohei Ohtani returned in 2021 and delivered one of the greatest two-way performances in Major League Baseball history.

One of the factors believed to have contributed to that breakthrough was his visit to a baseball training facility in Seattle called Driveline Baseball.

Before playing catch during spring training and workouts, Ohtani began using weighted baseballs recommended by the facility, throwing them against walls as part of his warm-up routine.

He also wore a sensor band around his right forearm during bullpen sessions to measure the level of stress placed on his arm — another method promoted by Driveline.

By combining training with scientific data analysis, Ohtani and his team were able to search for the ideal pitching schedule and pitch count that would allow him to survive a full season as a two-way player.

Driveline Baseball became well known because many elite MLB pitchers trained there.
Its significance lay in replacing tradition and intuition with objective scientific analysis — helping players better understand preparation, recovery, workload, and performance.

Ohtani decided to visit the facility because he felt the previous three seasons had shown him the need to “rethink everything.”

Looking back later, he said:

“I thought going there was a good idea. Getting opinions from a third party never hurts.”

Ohtani never became great by assuming he already had all the answers.

He became a true major leaguer by constantly experimenting, listening, learning, and searching for better ways to improve.

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.207