The Los Angeles Dodgers are six days away from Opening Day. Shohei Ohtani made his first pitching appearance of spring training on Wednesday afternoon against the San Francisco Giants at Camelback Ranch. The reigning MVP had been away with Japan at the World Baseball Classic.
Ohtani threw 4 1/3 scoreless innings with 4 strikeouts and topped out at 99.9 mph. He issued 2 walks and hit a batter but received a standing ovation when he exited. The Dodgers won 5-1 in a game that was called after eight innings due to triple-digit heat.
After the game, Ohtani addressed how his first outing felt.
Ohtani Addresses His First Pitching Outing
Shohei Ohtani spoke to reporters after Wednesday’s performance, and his assessment revealed the confidence of someone who has done this before.
“It actually didn’t feel like it was my first Spring Training outing,” Ohtani said. “I do see this as more of an extension of a live BP situation. So it didn’t feel too bad going into this game.”
The comment reflected remarkable composure. Most pitchers would acknowledge some rust in their first appearance after months away from game action. Ohtani treated it like routine practice.
Ohtani also addressed what he wants to improve before the regular season begins.
“I was pretty happy with the pitch count today,” he said. “In terms of the next outing, I do want to be better at executing in two-strike counts. I just didn’t finish off hitters as much as I wanted to.”
The mindset reflected someone already thinking about refinement rather than simply getting through his first outing. And for a first outing, it was exactly what the Dodgers wanted to see.
GettyShohei Ohtani of the Los Angeles Dodgers.
How Wednesday’s Performance Stacked Up
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts addressed what he saw from Ohtani on Wednesday, and his response captured how far ahead Ohtani is compared to last season.
“Certainly well beyond where we were last year to start,” Roberts said. “We’ll see once he pitches in the Freeway Series, if it’s five innings or he’s gonna touch the sixth, I don’t know. With what I saw today, with what we saw, he’s in a really good spot.”
Last season, Ohtani was rehabbing from a second major elbow surgery while pitching in the majors.
Roberts also addressed how Ohtani continues to exceed expectations.
“I’ve learned that you don’t ever underestimate or try to make predictions on what Shohei’s going to do,” Roberts said. “He’s always going to deliver. Yeah, I thought he would be a little bit more rusty than he was today. The breaking ball was good, got some swing and miss. The fastball command, he was working ahead in the count today. So across the board, really good.”
What the WBC Means for His Dodgers Season
Shohei Ohtani was exclusively a hitter during the tournament for Japan, going 6-for-13 with a .462 average, 3 home runs and 7 RBIs in four games before Japan was eliminated by eventual champion Venezuela in the quarterfinal.
Because Ohtani did not pitch in the Classic, questions remained about how much he would be able to build up his arm. He threw bullpen sessions while away and completed a four-inning simulated game in Miami last Thursday.
Ohtani put those questions to bed with his Spring Debut.
His first regular-season start will likely come in the Dodgers’ second series against the Cleveland Guardians. Yoshinobu Yamamoto will start Opening Day on March 26 at Dodger Stadium against the Arizona Diamondbacks.
Patrick Smith/Getty ImagesShohei Ohtani is ready for 2026.
Final Word for the Dodgers
Shohei Ohtani said it didn’t feel like his first outing of spring training. It did not look like it either. He threw 4 1/3 scoreless innings, struck out four batters, and touched 99.9 mph.
Ohtani will make one more start in the Freeway Series next week before the regular season begins. Dave Roberts said he is in a really good spot. The numbers back that up.
The message is clear. Shohei Ohtani is ready.
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