June 17, 2025 3:55 AM : Ohtani completed one inning in a no-decision against the Padres on Monday, allowing one run on two hits with no walks or strikeouts. He also went 2-for-4 with a double, a walk and two RBI as a hitter.
Analysis: Thus begins the two-way Ohtani era in Los Angeles. While the revered superstar showed some rust in his Dodgers debut as a pitcher -- he threw just 16 of 28 pitches for strikes and allowed the first two batters he faced to reach base, one of whom came around to score -- he also topped out at 100.2 mph on his fastball and deployed four different pitch types. In addition, Ohtani plated more runs than he gave up, crushing an RBI double in the third inning and adding a run-scoring single in the fourth. It's important to remember that Ohtani's initial game appearances are the equivalent of what would be a minor-league rehab stint for most pitchers -- he hadn't thrown a pitch in the majors since 2023 prior to Monday, but his status as a star hitter prevents him from going on an actual rehab assignment. With that in mind, it's probably going to take Ohtani several appearances to build up to a normal starter's workload, and he figures to continue to work in the equivalent of an opener role in the short term, with his next appearance as a pitcher potentially taking place Sunday versus Washington.