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Dodgers’ Shohei Ohtani surprises no one with impressive spring pitching debut

March 19, 2026

GLENDALE, Ariz. — Maybe Shohei Ohtani can bend time to his will as well.

Ohtani rejoined the Dodgers from the World Baseball Classic this week having faced hitters only in live batting practice sessions early in camp and a four-inning simulated game against his Team Japan teammates last week.

That left Ohtani with limited buildup and barely two weeks to prepare for the start of the regular season as a pitcher when he took the mound for his first game action of the spring on Wednesday.

Ohtani looked neither rusty nor rushed. He was sharp, allowing just one hit (plus two walks and a hit batter) while striking out four in 4⅓ scoreless innings in a Cactus League game against the San Francisco Giants.

“Just talking to (Dodgers pitching coach) Mark (Prior), the stuff was really good. It’s going to get more crisp as he gets out there and gets regular pitching. But, man – it was really good,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “He knows he only has a couple outings before the start of the season, so he was focused today.

“I was (surprised at how sharp he was). But I guess I’ve learned that you don’t ever underestimate or try to make predictions on what Shohei’s going to do. 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.”

Ohtani threw 71 pitches Wednesday. With a final tune-up start scheduled for Tuesday’s Freeway Series finale at Dodger Stadium, Ohtani is on track to be fully built up for the start of the season.

“It actually didn’t feel like it was my first spring training outing,” Ohtani said through his interpreter. “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.”

Ohtani did not hit during Wednesday’s game but will DH for the Dodgers against the San Diego Padres on Friday night. Playing in the World Baseball Classic has him prepared for that aspect of his two-way game, Ohtani said.

“In terms of the hitting, it did help that I played in an atmosphere that was pretty intense and competitive,” he said of the WBC. “So the fact that I had to get things going earlier in the offseason maybe was the only thing that really affected my preparation. But I think it helped me more so than it hurt me, as I played through these meaningful games in the World Baseball Classic.”

He entered this spring off a more relaxing offseason, Ohtani said, after going through rehab from Tommy John surgery and surgery on his left shoulder over the previous two winters.

“In this offseason, mentally, I felt like I was well-rested,” he said. “The previous offseason, just having to go to different facilities, appointments, rehabbing, just felt like every day the day passed by really quick. So this offseason, I just felt like I had a pretty easier offseason mentally.”

Dalton Rushing caught Ohtani on Wednesday and saw him use his full pitch mix, topping out at 99.9 mph with his fastball and freezing Patrick Bailey for a called third strike with a 77.5 mph curveball.

“Never surprised. Never really surprised with him,” Rushing said of how sharp Ohtani was in his first game action. “Everyone knows what he’s capable of, everyone knows, like, kind of his main goal when he goes out there. He expects perfection every single time. And I think he was very, very close to it today.”

WBC WINNER

Relief pitcher Brusdar Graterol wore a Venezuela jersey into the Dodgers’ clubhouse on Wednesday and infielder Miguel Rojas said it made him “feel proud” to see his country win the World Baseball Classic championship over Team USA on Tuesday night.

“It’s really important for us, not just players, but Venezuelans, to kind of sit on this moment for a little bit and reflect on how important it is for us to be in the top right now of the sport,” said Rojas, who wanted to play for Venezuela but was unable to satisfy insurance requirements. “Because Venezuela is a baseball country. Everything that happened yesterday was the final touch of what we’ve been doing the last couple decades. … We have MVPs, we have Triple Crowns, we have guys who – a guy in Ronald Acuña who did an amazing season a couple years ago, 40-70, never seen it or heard of it before.

“I think yesterday was a great moment for us Venezuelans to feel proud and to feel united and to feel like baseball is always going to be something that is going to unify this country.”

Rojas watched the championship game with his two children and posted video on social media of them celebrating Venezuela’s win.

“They weren’t born in Venezuela. They were born in the United States,” Rojas said. “But they feel Venezuelan inside of them because of our roots, our family, our culture. It’s really cool and was really special to see my kids finding joy in that moment after the third strike was called out. They felt Venezuelan, the same as I did and every other family in Venezuela.”

HURT LOCKER

The Dodgers optioned right-hander Kyle Hurt to the minors Tuesday. The 27-year-old Hurt performed well this spring. He allowed six hits in 7⅓ innings and struck out 12 of the 30 batters he faced.

But Hurt is returning from Tommy John surgery in July 2024. He returned late last year and pitched some in Triple-A and threw live batting practice to Dodgers’ hitters as they prepared for the postseason. As a result, though, he has pitched a total of only 30⅔ innings the past two years and the Dodgers will be mindful of his workload this season.

“He’s had a great spring,” Roberts said. “But I think for Kyle it’s the thought of he hasn’t pitched a whole lot the last couple years. We realize how talented he is. But to get him to get a foundation this year – be able to go back-to-back, pitch two innings in a night then see how he is on the third day to go out and pitch and see how he responds. … That’s what he needs to do.”

In a move with similar motivation, the Dodgers sent right-hander River Ryan to the minors. Ryan is also returning from Tommy John surgery. Like Hurt, he pitched well this spring and clearly figures into the Dodgers’ plans going forward. But they want to build him up slowly and limit his workload during his comeback season.

ALSO

The Dodgers officially selected the contract of infielder Santiago Espinal and added him to the roster. Espinal signed a minor-league contract but will make the season-opening roster in a bench role.

Infielder Ryan Fitzgerald was also optioned to the minor leagues.

Orange County Register

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Dodgers’ Shohei Ohtani surprises no one with impressive spring pitching debut

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