Dodgers pitcher Shohei Ohtani limited a Giants lineup that included several regulars to one hit in 4⅓ innings in a Cactus League game Wednesday. He struck out four and walked two.
Ross D. Franklin/Associated Press
GLENDALE, Ariz. — Shohei Ohtani dominated the San Francisco Giants at the plate in 2025, hitting more home runs against them (six) than any other team as part of a Los Angeles Dodgers squad that buried the Giants in the National League West standings.
San Francisco has only gotten a taste of what Ohtani is capable of on the mound. He allowed one hit and struck out four in a three-inning outing during the Giants’ toughest stretch last July.
He did much of the same in his spring pitching debut Wednesday in 100-degree temperatures, with Heliot Ramos’ double in the second inning Ohtani’s only hit allowed through 4⅓ innings in the Giants’ 5-1 loss at Camelback Ranch.
Article continues below this ad
Ohtani wasn’t up against end-of-the-bench guys, either. With spring training winding down, the Giants sent a majority of the starters on the 40-minute bus ride to Glendale to face their rivals.
For manager Tony Vitello, the late-spring Ohtani matchup is less about the hype and more an indication that meaningful baseball is around the corner.
“We’re getting closer to what the lineups will be like during the regular season,” Vitello said. “I think the sense in our dugout is, like, this is going to start to get fun.”
San Francisco Chronicle Logo
Make us a Preferred Source to get more of our news when you search.
Add Preferred Source
Matt Chapman, Willy Adames, Jung Hoo Lee, Patrick Bailey and Ramos got at least two plate appearances. Lee and Adames drew walks against Ohtani.
Article continues below this ad
The Dodgers also rolled out their mighty lineup core, and Landen Roupp felt the full force of it. That included a barrage of singles and two runs scored in the first from the top of the lineup — Miguel Rojas, Freddie Freeman, Mookie Betts and Teoscar Hernandez — and a Freeman home run later on.
It’s still spring, but summer temperatures descended on Arizona in record-breaking fashion and the game ended an inning early. It wasn’t a simple decision for Vitello, who agreed with Dodgers manager Dave Roberts in a between-innings meeting at home plate that the game extend at least another half inning to let reliever Erik Miller get his work in.
Injuries early in camp delayed Miller’s progress. He pitched in a game for the first time last week and an inning at Papago Park shortly after and has said he feels confident he can get the necessary work in before Opening Day.
Vitello knew that meant he’d need to pitch Wednesday.
“We’ll see where we’re at for his next outing,” Vitello said. “Just keep moving him along the right direction.”
Article continues below this ad
Who’s pitching? Logan Webb stayed with Team USA through its second-place finish in the World Baseball Classic, but he last pitched in the quarterfinal last Friday. He will get one more Cactus League start, likely Thursday, before Opening Day next Wednesday, Vitello said.
Webb was initially expected to pitch Friday, but the shift would move Robbie Ray up a day to pitch Friday before spring training wraps up on Saturday.
Roster cuts: The spring training roster is slowly being whittled to a core group competing for Opening Day roster spots. But more than a handful of those who have been cut will likely have their number called for the big-league team sometime this season.
Blade Tidwell and Carson Whisenhunt are among them. Both were standouts early in spring and were contenders to crack the roster as bullpen pieces only to become inconsistent and be optioned to Triple-A — Whisenhunt on Wednesday, Tidwell on Tuesday. Pitching depth can wear thin quickly, and both should be at the top of the heap if and when the Giants need to reach into their minor leagues for help.
Infield prospect Parks Harber was reassigned Wednesday along with infielder Buddy Kennedy. Others who have been reassigned are Jake Holton, Nate Furman, left-handed pitchers Nick Margevicius and Juan Sanchez and righty Wilkin Ramos.The first round of cuts included top prospects Bo Davidson (outfield) and right-handed pitchers Will Bednar and Trent Harris.
Article continues below this ad
They’ve made a dent in the catching corps, optioning Jesus Rodriguez on Wednesday and reassigning Logan Porter and Diego Cartaya earlier in spring. Daniel Susac, a Rule 5 draftee, and Eric Haase remain in competition for the backup catcher role to Bailey.
Injury updates: Harber has a Grade 2 hamstring strain and will miss the next 4-6 weeks, the team announced. Harber injured it running from first to third during Saturday’s game.
The Giants acquired Harber from the New York Yankees in last year’s Camilo Doval deadline swap, and he made an immediate splash with a strong Arizona Fall League in which he had 12 extra-base hits (nine doubles, three home runs). That earned him a spring training invite, where he went 10 for 28 with a home run and three doubles in sporadic at-bats before the injury.
“There’s a professional approach to hitting and you saw that in his at-bats, the results were better towards the end,” Vitello said.
Article continues below this ad
Right-hander Hayden Birdsong saw Dr. Keith Meister for a second opinion on a UCL/forearm strain, but he hasn’t decided whether he will undergo Tommy John surgery or opt to rehab this year.