"Haven't seen him laugh or smile this much" - Dave Roberts opens up about Shohei Ohtani's 'next level' engagement with teammates 

Shohei Ohtani has already impressed the management and his teammates during practice sessions. His engagement with his new team is going perfectly well, even before the start of spring training.

Dave Roberts and the squad are impressed with Ohtani's performance and his chemistry with them. In a recent interview with the Dodgers Nation, Roberts talked about Ohtani and how happy he is to be a Dodger.

"His level of engagement with his teammates has been next level, and I've heard from a lot of people that they haven't seen him laugh or smile this much," Roberts said.

The franchise is happy about their new star and his level of engagement with his teammates. Roberts continued to praise the two-way star, saying he is a special player who loves to be at work.

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Dodgers remain concerned about Shohei Ohtani

Shohei Ohtani will miss the spring training opener against the San Diego Padres. Being one of the most valuable players even before getting onto the field, the Dodgers will not want to risk any injuries for their star.

The Dodgers are still concerned about his health, which is crucial for the upcoming season. The slugger is still recovering from elbow surgery but has made good progress. As far as pitching is concerned, he will not be able to take the mound until 2025.

The Dodgers will want to take things slow to keep him healthy throughout the season. It's also essential to have him at his best during the postseason. That said, fans can expect to see him missing out on a few spring training games.

The 29-year-old will play a crucial role in the team's progress. His decade-long deal with the Dodgers has gathered a lot of anticipation and hype. The franchise is also one of the favorite teams predicted to make it to the World Series.

The Dodgers have struggled in the past three years, failing to make it past the postseason games. Despite a fabulous run of success of appearing in the playoffs 11 times, they have won the World Series only once in 2020.

Top acquisitions like Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto are expected to change things for the team in the upcoming MLB season.