Ohtani's Pitching Workload May Be Limited Early Season Due to WBC

Shohei Ohtani (Dodgers) may not be fully stretched out as a pitcher by Opening Day, reports Sonja Chen of MLB.com. While expected to be part of Los Angeles' pitching rotation and fulfill DH duties, his participation with Samurai Japan in the World Baseball Classic, where he'll hit exclusively, raises concerns about his readiness. It's possible his pitch count will be capped early in the campaign, with Justin Wrobleski or another long reliever potentially working in a piggyback role.