Shohei Ohtani made his long-awaited pitching debut for the Los Angeles Dodgers on Monday night, allowing one early run but compensating with a productive performance at the plate in a 6-3 victory over the San Diego Padres. The win opened a home series between the two National League West rivals at Dodger Stadium.
According to betting markets prior to first pitch, the Dodgers entered the matchup as favorites with a moneyline of approximately -160, while the Padres were priced around +135. The over/under for total runs was set at 8.5, a mark surpassed thanks to steady offensive production from both teams.
After his first appearance on the mound after undergoing right elbow surgery nearly two years ago, Ohtani threw 28 pitches in the first inning, averaging 96.8 mph on his fastball. He allowed a run on a sacrifice fly by Manny Machado but showed poise in his limited outing. It marked his first time pitching since August 2023, during his tenure with the Los Angeles Angels.
Ohtani contributed significantly with the bat. In the third inning, he tied the score at 1-1 with a two-out RBI double. One inning later, he delivered a run-scoring single to center as part of a five-run Dodgers rally that put them ahead 6-2. In addition to his two hits and two RBIs, he drew a walk and struck out twice.
Anthony Banda took over pitching duties in the second inning, and Ben Casparius earned the win with 3 2/3 innings of relief. Kirby Yates closed the game with a flawless ninth inning to record his second save of the season.
Padres starter Dylan Cease began strongly, retiring the first six Dodgers batters and striking out five in succession, including Ohtani, Mookie Betts, and Freddie Freeman in the first inning. However, he struggled in the fourth, allowing multiple hits and being tagged for six runs on eight hits over five innings while recording nine strikeouts.
San Diego briefly regained the lead in the top of the fourth when Xander Bogaerts drove in a run with a double. But the Dodgers responded in the bottom half. Max Muncy and Tommy Edman each delivered RBI singles, followed by hits from Ohtani and Betts that pushed the lead to 6-2.
Machado later added a solo home run in the sixth for San Diego’s final run. A brief on-field tension occurred when Cease hit Dodgers rookie Andy Pages with a pitch in the fourth inning. Pages exchanged glances with Cease, who indicated the hit was unintentional. Umpires intervened to keep the situation under control.
With the win, the Dodgers improved their positioning in the division. Ohtani’s performance marked a rare moment in modern baseball history. He became just the third National League player since 1900 to start a game as pitcher and leadoff hitter, joining Jim Jones in 1901 and Alvin Dark in 1953.
The series continues Tuesday with Padres right-hander Randy Vásquez (3-4, 3.57 ERA) scheduled to start. The Dodgers are expected to rely on a bullpen game.
