David Ortiz has seen it all in his Hall of Fame career. However, a recent tour of Dodger Stadium with owner Mark Walter revealed a nine-figure investment for Shohei Ohtani. And that left even Ortiz speechless. In a recent interview, former player David Ortiz shared an anecdote about the Dodgers and their love for Ohtani.

Between the 2024 and 2025 seasons, Dodger Stadium reportedly underwent a $100 million renovation. Among the multiple upgrades, the Dodgers specifically made one to suit Ohtani. In an interview with Abriendo Sports, Ortiz recounted a day in Dodger Stadium when the franchise’s majority shareholder, Mark Walter, left him stunned. Walter had taken Ortiz, accompanied by Derek Jeter and Alex Rodriguez, on a tour of the renovated stadium. When the ‘Big Papi’ asked about one of the constructions, Walter revealed it was a new batting cage. And it was specifically built at the request of Ohtani.

“In the Dodgers vs. Yankees game at Dodger Stadium, Mark, the majority owner of the Dodgers, pulled Alex Rodriguez, Derek Jeter, and me aside and said, ‘Come on, I’m going to give you guys a tour of what we’ve done around the stadium.’ As we walked, I asked, ‘Mark, what’s up with this construction here?’ He replied, “It’s for Ohtani,” recalled Ortiz.

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In 2023, during his shift from the Los Angeles Angels, Ohtani agreed to a record-setting 10-year, $700 million deal. The following season, Ohtani became a 50-50 player and led the Dodgers to a World Series championship.

Not only that, Ohtani brought local and international endorsements to the club as well, along with attracting spectators. The franchise was naturally ready to accommodate their MVP’s demands.

Walter had revealed to Ortiz that when they asked Ohtani if he needed anything to elevate his play, the Japanese answered with batting cages. Ohtani had told Walter that he could become a better hitter if they had more batting cages in the clubhouse.

According to Ortiz, Walter stated, “After the season, we sat down with him and asked what we could do to help him get even better. We said, ‘Shohei, is there anything you believe we should do?’ Ohtani told them, ‘If we had more batting cages, I think I could be a better hitter.’”

“I was surprised and asked, ‘What do you mean?’ He explained, ‘Yeah, being limited on the batting cages, I think if I had more space and more time to practice, I could become a better hitter,’” he further added.

During his time with the Angels, Ohtani enjoyed using two batting cages. But the Dodgers had only one at the time. The Dodgers responded with a $100 million upgrade of the clubhouse facility, which, according to Ortiz, turned into a Four Seasons.

On his part, Ohtani also delivered. Last season, he batted with an average of .282, hitting 55 homers, 102 RBI, and 146 runs with 1.014 OPS. Furthermore, his bat contributed to the Dodgers’ 2025 World Series win with 3 homers, 6 runs, and 5 RBIs.

Through such moves, the Dodgers have set new standards for supporting their top talents in the clubhouse.

However, the Dodgers manager, Dave Roberts, has revealed Ohtani’s pitching workload for this season is not yet certain.

Dave Roberts on Ohtani’s pitching

Shohei Ohtani is arguably the best player in baseball and the most valuable asset of the Dodgers. His two-way talent in pitching and hitting makes him rare, and the Dodgers are always careful about how to handle him.

Ohtani made his comeback last season after undergoing his second Tommy John surgery on his throwing elbow. He posted a 2.87 ERA in 14 starts across 47 innings with 62 strikeouts.

However, according to Dave Roberts, the Dodgers are still figuring out what his pitching workload will look like in 2026.

“It’s simply not an exact science. As much as people want to think it might be—and some probably do—not all innings are created equal. Not all pitches are created equal.”

Roberts has also revealed that Ohtani’s health will be the deciding factor. They are ready to give him extra days of rest if required.

“We talk to him a lot about how he’s feeling. And if there are days when we need to give him a few extra days off, we’re prepared to do that. But yes, I just don’t know the extent of it. I really don’t,” the manager noted.

As the Dodgers take on the Blue Jays in a three-game series, Ohtani will make his second start of the season on Wednesday.