Spring training is in full swing across the MLB as we're nearly three weeks away from Opening Day. That means Shohei Ohtani's official debut with the Los Angeles Dodgers is inching closer, but before that, he'll get a chance to face his former team for the first time in Cactus League action on Tuesday.

The Dodgers play host to the Los Angeles Angels Tuesday night and Ohtani is going to be in the starting lineup for the Dodgers as he continues to recover from September elbow surgery. It will be his fourth spring training game this season and he'll try to follow up some highlight reel at-bats from his first three games in a Dodgers uniform.

Ohtani's first hit in spring training was a two-run home run in his second at-bat for the Dodgers in his debut on Feb. 27. He followed that with an RBI single on March 1 before a 3-for-3 day on Sunday where he launched a triple to dead center field while also driving in and scoring a pair of runs.

Incredibly, Ohtani has only been put out twice across nine plate appearances this spring, totaling 10 bases in seven official at-bats. He said he wants to get at least 50 at-bats under his belt before the Dodgers open their season against the San Diego Padres in South Korea on March 20.

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts is loving the progression his new star has made.

“I think he’s probably ahead of where we expected,” Roberts said, per MLB.com's Anthony Castrovince. “But even talking to him this winter, he said he felt incredible. He was encouraged about his progression. To see where he’s at right now, it’s obviously a good thing. But I don’t think he’s surprised by it.”

Shohei Ohtani facing an old friend

Los Angeles Angels starting pitcher Shohei Ohtani (17) and center fielder Mike Trout (27) celebrate after the Angels defeated the St. Louis Cardinals at Busch Stadium
Jeff Curry-USA TODAY Sports

Though it didn’t surprise anyone that Shohei Ohtani left the Angels for the Dodgers this offseason, it will be a little weird seeing him play against his former team on Tuesday.

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Ohtani had plenty of hype around him when he signed his first MLB contract with the Angels in December 2017. Pairing him with Mike Trout, the Angels probably thought they had hit the jackpot, though injuries and a worldwide pandemic limited Ohtani's chances to show off his two-way abilities throughout his first three MLB seasons.

Then in 2021 Ohtani had his best season yet, capturing AL MVP honors with a 3.18 ERA in 23 starts on the mound to go along with a 46 home run, 100 RBI season at the plate. He followed that with his best pitching season to date in 2022, then won his second MVP award in 2023 despite missing the last month of the season.

It's easy for Angels fans to look at the “what ifs” of the Shohei Ohtani era of the franchise, but they should be happy they got to experience it at all. Even though LA never reached the playoffs with Ohtani on the roster, he turned himself into undoubtedly the best baseball player on the planet while in an Angels uniform.

Tuesday night's game will bring plenty of reunions and laughs for Shohei Ohtani with his former Angels teammates. Once he steps into the batter's box though, you better believe he'll be locked in and ready to put on another show.