Ohtani Dominates in Spring Training Return to Mound for Dodgers

Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani delivered an impressive performance in his first spring training pitching appearance, throwing 4 1/3 scoreless innings against the Giants. The Japanese two-way player struck out four batters and allowed just one hit despite extreme heat in Arizona.

GLENDALE, Ariz. — Japanese superstar Shohei Ohtani showcased his pitching prowess Wednesday afternoon, delivering a blazing 99-mph fastball past Willy Adames for his opening strikeout of the day.

Despite limited mound time over the last two and a half years, the Los Angeles Dodgers right-hander showed no signs of rust during his spring training pitching return.

The dual-threat athlete dominated in his first mound appearance of the preseason, allowing just one hit while walking two and hitting one batter. He recorded four strikeouts across 4 1/3 innings without surrendering a run to the San Francisco Giants.

Ohtani’s pitch total reached 61, with 34 finding the strike zone.

“The stuff was really good — it’s going to get more crisp as he gets out there and gets regular pitching,” manager Dave Roberts said. “But, man, it was really good. He knows he only has a couple outings before the start of the season, so he was focused. To have him touch the fifth inning was a huge win for us.”

The star pitcher remained composed despite record-breaking heat in Arizona, needing only five pitches to navigate the opening frame as temperatures soared near 100 degrees at Camelback Ranch. During the second inning, he surrendered a leadoff double to Heliot Ramos but responded by retiring the next three batters, including strikeouts of Adames and Will Brennan.

“I was pretty happy with the pitch count today,” Ohtani said through an interpreter. “In terms of the next outing, I do want to be better at executing on two-strike counts. I just didn’t finish off hitters as much as I wanted.”

Before joining Team Japan for the World Baseball Classic in early March, Ohtani participated in live batting practice sessions with the Dodgers in Arizona. The four-time Most Valuable Player served exclusively as a designated hitter during the WBC but maintained his pitching routine through bullpen sessions.

Wednesday marked his first competitive mound appearance since Game 7 of the World Series on Nov. 1.

According to Roberts, Ohtani is scheduled for one additional preseason start next week ahead of the March 26 regular season opener.

The 31-year-old aims to complete his first full pitching campaign since 2022, when he posted a 15-9 record with a 2.33 ERA across 28 starts for the Los Angeles Angels. An elbow injury sustained late in 2023 sidelined him from pitching throughout the entire 2024 season.

Ohtani resumed his pitching duties during the middle portion of 2025, compiling a 2.87 ERA over 14 regular-season appearances. He contributed a 2-1 record with a 4.43 ERA during the postseason, supporting the Dodgers’ second consecutive World Series championship.

The versatile player opted against hitting Wednesday, concentrating solely on his pitching performance given the extreme temperatures. Roberts indicated Ohtani will likely serve as the team’s designated hitter Friday against the Padres.

“He’s already taken enough at-bats, so I don’t think the at-bats are a concern,” Roberts said.

Ohtani rejoined the Dodgers at Camelback Ranch following Japan’s quarterfinal elimination from the WBC. He batted 6-for-13 with three home runs for Japan during five tournament games.