Baseball’s two-way superstar is back.
For the first time in 22 months, and 18 months after signing a $700 million contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers, Shohei Ohtani was able to do what makes him such an anomaly among big leaguers: pitch.
Ohtani made his highly anticipated Dodgers pitching debut in Monday night’s 6-3 win over the San Diego Padres.
“I’m happy and glad to be back,” said Ohtani, who at the plate singled, doubled and drove in a pair of runs, raising his batting average to .300 on the year.
The three-time MVP hasn’t pitched since August 2023, when he was still a member of the Los Angeles Angels, but looked lively in his return.
Ohtani threw 28 pitches — 16 for strikes — in the first inning as the sellout crowd of 53,207 hung on every one. He gave up a pair of two-strike hits and a run. Despite his lengthy pitching absence, the Dodgers’ right-hander flashed his overpowering pitching arsenal and even touched triple digits.
The Japanese-born star topped out at 100.2 mph — the second-hardest pitch thrown by a Dodgers hurler this season — and averaged 99.1 mph on nine four-seam fastballs in his 2025 pitching debut.
“I was aiming to sit 95-96,” Ohtani said through a translator, “but the game intensity really allowed me to throw a little harder.”
It isn’t often that the National League leader in home runs toes the rubber for his team, but that’s precisely what Ohtani did on Monday — and what makes him baseball’s uniquely gifted unicorn.
Even as he approaches 90 career starts, Ohtani’s two-way prowess is still as mind-boggling as ever.
Last year, the four-time All-Star enjoyed a season for the ages, mashing 54 home runs while swiping 59 stolen bases to become the first MLB player to achieve a 50/50 season.
Ohtani also helped the Dodgers to their second World Series title this decade in 2024.
Now, the generational two-way player has the chance to perform on both sides of the diamond, which is something baseball fans shouldn’t take for granted.
What Ohtani is accomplishing in the majors isn’t just historic, it’s groundbreaking. Countless Hall of Famers have filtered through the majors, but none have dominated quite like Ohtani.
He is essentially a hybrid of Albert Pujols and Greg Maddux, and his excellence on the field cannot be overstated.
Before Ohtani, it was unthinkable to envision a player slugging 50+ homers in a season while moonlighting as a Cy Young award candidate.
Could you imagine Ken Griffey Jr. tossing seven shutout innings? Or Pedro Martinez mashing 50 home runs?
These almost feel like fantasy scenarios, but, amazingly, that’s the level of output that a healthy Ohtani offers.
His talent is unlike anything ever seen before, and it’s possible that nothing ever comes close to it.
Baseball fans should cherish the opportunity to witness Ohtani’s historic track firsthand. Decades and perhaps centuries from now, his seismic imprint on baseball will still draw praise, and those fortunate enough to see him play live should treasure that experience.
