Shohei Ohtani is in the midst of his second season with the Los Angeles Dodgers after leaving the Los Angeles Angels in free agency.
Ohtani completed his first Freeway Series in a Dodgers uniform last season and is finishing out a second one this week. However, the matchup at Angel Stadium marks the first time he is set to face his former club on the mound.
The Dodgers and Angels first played this season in May, with the Halos picking up a three-game sweep. Ohtani was still working his way back to the mound at the time and didn’t make his pitching debut until June 16.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts doesn’t believe Ohtani will be emotional pitching against the Angels for the first time with the added weight of it coming at his old stadium.
“I think that Shohei, he doesn’t show a whole lot of emotion,” Roberts said. “And so I don’t think he’ll be very emotional. I don’t.”
Prior to his first time playing in the Freeway Series as a member of the Dodgers last season, Ohtani admitted he was excited to face the Angels.
Ohtani joined the Angels in 2018 and spent six seasons with the organization. He had a great amount of personal success despite never making a postseason appearance during that span. Ohtani was the 2018 American League Rookie of the Year, a three-time All-Star and two-time MVP Award winner during his time in Anaheim.
Ohtani is 21-8 with a 2.22 ERA and 1.01 WHIP in 47 career starts at Angel Stadium. Ohtani last pitched in Anaheim during the 2023 season, when he finished 6-3 with a 2.70 ERA before being shut down due to a right elbow injury that ultimately required a second career Tommy John surgery.
Shohei Ohtani coming off season highs
With his next start against the Angels, Ohtani will be looking to continue the momentum he gained from a previous start against the St. Louis Cardinals.
He set season-highs with eight strikeouts, 54 pitches and four innings. He allowed just one run on two hits and did not walk a batter.
Roberts said the target is four innings for Ohtani against the Angels.
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