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\nLos Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Shohei Ohtani, of Japan, throws against the San Francisco Giants during the first inning of a spring training baseball game, March 18, 2026, in Phoenix. (AP Photo\/Ross D. Franklin) <\/p>\n
\n GLENDALE, Ariz. (AP) — Los Angeles Dodgers right-hander Shohei Ohtani reached back for the heater and found it, blazing a 99-mph fastball past Willy Adames for his first strikeout of the afternoon on Wednesday.
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\n For a guy who hasn’t spent much time on the mound over the past 2 1\/2 years, he doesn’t seem remotely rusty.
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\n The Japanese two-way star was in top form during his spring training debut on the mound, giving up one hit, two walks and a hit by pitch while striking out four over 4 1\/3 scoreless innings against the San Francisco Giants.
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\n He threw 61 pitches, including 34 strikes.
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\n “The stuff was really good — it’s going to get more crisp as he gets out there and gets regular pitching,” manager Dave Roberts said. “But, man, it was really good. He knows he only has a couple outings before the start of the season, so he was focused. To have him touch the fifth inning was a huge win for us.”
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\n Ohtani was unfazed by record-hot conditions in Arizona, needing just five pitches to breeze through the first inning as temperatures pushed 100 degrees at Camelback Ranch. In the second, he gave up a leadoff double to Heliot Ramos before retiring three straight, including Adames and and Will Brennan on strikeouts.
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\n “I was pretty happy with the pitch count today,” Ohtani said through an interpreter. “In terms of the next outing, I do want to be better at executing on two-strike counts. I just didn’t finish off hitters as much as I wanted.”
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\n Ohtani threw some live batting practice sessions in Arizona with the Dodgers before joining Team Japan for the World Baseball Classic in early March. The four-time Most Valuable Player didn’t pitch in the WBC — playing solely as a designated hitter — but did throw off the mound in bullpen sessions.
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\n This was his first time on the mound in a competitive setting since Game 7 of the World Series on Nov. 1.
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\n Roberts said he expects Ohtani will get one more preseason start next week before the regular season starts on March 26.
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\n Ohtani hopes to get through his first full season on the mound since 2022, when he 15-9 with a 2.33 ERA in 28 starts for the Los Angeles Angels. He injured his elbow late in the 2023 season which caused him to miss all of 2024 on the mound.
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\n Ohtani returned to pitching midway through 2025 and had a 2.87 ERA over 14 regular-season starts. He also went 2-1 with a 4.43 ERA in the postseason, helping the Dodgers win their second straight World Series title.
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\n The 31-year-old didn’t hit on Wednesday, choosing to focus on pitching, especially on such a hot day. Roberts said he expects Ohtani to be the team’s designated hitter on Friday against the Padres.
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\n “He’s already taken enough at-bats, so I don’t think the at-bats are a concern,” Roberts said.
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\n Ohtani recently returned to Dodgers camp at Camelback Ranch after Japan was eliminated in the quarterfinals of the WBC. He was 6-for-13 at the plate with three homers for Japan over five games.
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