GLENDALE, Ariz. (AP) \u2014 Shohei Ohtani is scheduled to play a couple of Cactus League games for the two-time defending World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers before he departs the desert to join Japan for the World Baseball Classic.<\/p>\n
He was in the lineup leading off as designated hitter scheduled for two or three at-bats for the club\u2019s spring training opener Saturday afternoon against the Angels at Tempe Diablo Stadium.<\/p>\n
\u201cSometimes he takes two and he feels good or he wants that third at-bat,\u201d manager Dave Roberts said.<\/p>\n
When asked about Ohtani\u2019s travel plans, Roberts smiled and said, \u201cI promised I\u2019d try.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ohtani is scheduled to pitch against live hitting Sunday \u2014 and Roberts has already said the 31-year-old two-way star should be in the Cy Young Award conversation<\/a> this season.<\/p>\n \u201cI know that it\u2019s going to be soon. He\u2019s going to play in a couple Cactus League games, but I\u2019m not exactly sure when his plane ticket is. He hasn\u2019t said,\u201d Roberts said. \u201cSo I don\u2019t know what day he\u2019s going to join Team Japan.\u201d<\/p>\n In addition, right-hander and reigning World Series MVP Yoshinobu Yamamoto<\/a> was starting on the mound to pitch two innings and around 35 pitches for his lone outing for the Dodgers before he also joins the Japanese team for the WBC. <\/p>\n \u201cObviously him going and pitching for Team Japan, he\u2019s going to be kind of trying to ramp it up and get prepared so I think it\u2019s just more of what he does strike one, use his secondaries and be efficient and get some outs,\u201d Roberts said.<\/p>\n Once Yamamoto returns to Los Angeles\u2019 camp, he will be scheduled for around four innings and 60 pitches initially, according to Roberts. <\/p>\n