Dodgers’ Shohei Ohtani reacts to dominant first day on the mound in 2026

Shohei Ohtani is back on the mound, baby! The Los Angeles Dodgers two-way star started pitching again in the middle of the 2025 season and during the postseason. Now, Ohtani is once again back to being a full-time two-way player. Ohtani took the mound against the Cleveland Guardians and looked really impressive as he led the team to a win.

After the game, Ohtani was asked about his performance. The Dodgers star, through his interpreter, said that he felt good coming into the game and that he primarily focused on his execution. Ohtani also said that while the weather conditions were unfortunate, it was nice at least to get it out of the way early in the season.

"Felt really good going into the game… I focused on execution."

Shohei Ohtani (W (1-0), 6.0 IP, H, 3 BB, 6 K, 87 P; 1-3, 2 BB) talks with @kirsten_watson after the Dodgers even up the series, beating the Guardians 4-1. pic.twitter.com/nV3kJR8Jlu

— SportsNet LA (@SportsNetLA) April 1, 2026

The Dodgers said earlier this season that Ohtani won’t have any additional restrictions other than the ones that starting pitchers usually have. That was the case against the Guardians. Ohtani threw six innings before he was relieved by Alex Vesia. In those six innings, he did not allow a single run, striking out six batters and walking three. It wasn’t quite vintage Ohtani, but it was still great for him to shut out a team.

In the batter’s box, Ohtani had a quieter night. He had four plate appearances, drawing two walks, getting a single, and striking out once. It was his teammates who carried the load for him that night: Andy Pages drove in two runs in the fourth and eighth, Max Muncy soloed in the sixth, and Teoscar Hernandez added another run to give Los Angeles their fourth win of the season.

The Dodgers are fielding a five-man starting rotation this season, giving Ohtani four days of rest before his next appearance on the mound. That being said, once the Dodgers’ elite starters, Tyler Glasnow and Blake Snell, return from injury, LA might expand its rotation. Next up for the Dodgers on the mound will be Yoshinobu Yamamoto once again, who had an elite first game against the Arizona Diamondbacks..

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