On the first full day of workouts at the Los Angels Dodgers’ spring complex, manager Dave Roberts described a clubhouse buzzing with anticipation — but cautioned that excitement must be paired with discipline.

“Guys are anxious,” Roberts said. “We’ve got a long camp, longer than we’ve had in recent years. So to try to get guys to start slow but intentional, methodical is kind of the message.”

With pitchers and catchers reporting and most position players already present, Roberts said the organization’s primary focus is managing each player’s buildup carefully.

“It is,” Roberts said when asked if evaluating pitcher readiness is the top priority. “A lot of the veteran guys sort of know where they’re at… younger guys, guys coming off injury, guys that had a bigger workload last year — just trying to bucket those guys together individually.”

Rather than target specific dates, Roberts emphasized steady improvement. “There’s not going to be any timeline, end line or finish line,” he said. “As long as you’re kind of improving… we’ve got a healthy group right now.”

Much of the attention centered on Shohei Ohtani, who enters camp after a more traditional offseason. Roberts acknowledged there may be untapped potential as a pitcher.

“Yeah, I do,” Roberts said. “I think that certainly last year coming off surgery… but a regular offseason ramp-up, I think there’s certainly a lot more in there.”

While Ohtani’s expectations may include Cy Young consideration, Roberts kept the focus simple. “We just want to be healthy and make starts, and all the numbers take care of itself,” he said.

Roberts pointed to Ohtani’s command as a pleasant surprise last season. “Given what typically command looks like the year after [surgery], it was above,” he said. “Just his ability… to change the shape of his breaking balls was pretty impressive.”

Physically, Roberts likes what he sees. “He looks strong, but not too much mass,” he said. “It just seems like he’s in a sweet spot.”

As of now, Roberts still expects Ohtani to hit leadoff. “As of now, yes,” he said. “We’ll see how that progresses.”

Roberts also addressed Ohtani’s involvement with Team Japan in the World Baseball Classic. “He’s very well aware,” Roberts said. “It’s delicate… we’ll know more in the next couple weeks.”

For Roberts, the message remains consistent: patience, health, and daily progress. “Just keep getting better each day,” he said.

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