Freddie Freeman will make his first appearance of Cactus League play Thursday, while Shohei Ohtani and Will Smith are expected to join the Los Angeles Dodgers’ lineup on Friday.
The Los Angeles Dodgers have been playing shorthanded so far this spring, but they are getting back a star-studded collection of reinforcements later this week.
Manager Dave Roberts told reporters – including the Los Angeles Times’ Jack Harris – that first baseman Freddie Freeman would be making his Cactus League debut Thursday against the Colorado Rockies. Freeman, who underwent ankle surgery in December, is slated to start at designated hitter.
The very next day, two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani and catcher Will Smith are expected to suit up against the Los Angeles Angels.
Smith has been dealing with an ankle injury since the early days of camp. Ohtani, on the other hand, is still bouncing back from the left shoulder surgery he had in November.
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The three returning stars are set to make a combined $113 million in 2025, which is more than 10 MLB teams’ entire payrolls.
Ohtani is fresh off winning NL MVP in 2024, on top of claiming his first World Series ring and establishing the 50-50 club. Now, the right elbow surgery Ohtani underwent in 2023 is behind him and he is expected to return to the mound a month or so into the regular season.
Smith, 29, has made back-to-back All-Star appearances. Freeman, 35, has earned six All-Star bids in a row.
The Dodgers start their regular season over a week ahead of most teams’ Opening Days, as they will face the Chicago Cubs in the two-game Tokyo Series starting March 18. That gives Freeman, Ohtani and Smith less than three weeks to get up to speed before the games actually start to count.
