The Los Angeles Dodgers took Game 1 of the 2025 National League Division Series against the Philadelphia Phillies with a comeback victory and strong pitching performance from Shohei Ohtani.
The two-way superstar was on the mound for the first time in his career during the playoffs after six seasons with the Los Angeles Angels where he did not make the postseason, and rehabbing during his first year with the Dodgers.
It was also Ohtani’s first pitching appearance at Citizens Bank Park, one of the most hostile environments in Major League Baseball.
When Ohtani took the mound, he became the first player in MLB history to start at least one game as a pitcher and at least once as a non-pitcher in a single postseason.
“It’s certainly never been done, certainly at this level,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “I think it just really speaks to, I use the word compartmentalize a lot. But this epitomizes compartmentalizing. He’s essentially two people in one night, in one game.
“To kind of look at the at-bats that he took tonight and how he struggled offensively, but to separate that and just be a pitcher, and weather that inning. And to go out there and give us six innings, keep us in the ballgame, I just don’t know any human that can manage that, those emotions, and how do you not take that to the mound? We continue to just witness history.”
Ohtani also became the first starting pitcher to hit leadoff in a postseason game, according to Sarah Langs of MLB.com. In addition, he’s one of just two starting pitchers in MLB history to hit anywhere other than eighth or ninth in his club’s lineup. The only other pitcher who has done that was Babe Ruth during Game 4 of the 1918 World Series when he batted sixth.
Although Ohtani struggled at the plate in the game, going 0-for-4 with four strikeouts and a walk, he turned in an excellent start on the mound. The right-hander went six innings, allowing three runs on three hits with nine strikeouts to one walk.
Ohtani could have easily exited with just one or two runs allowed, but a defensive misplay from Teoscar Hernández came back to hurt him. After allowing that hit in the second inning, Ohtani went on to retire 10 consecutive batters and 15 of the final 17 he faced.
Even though Ohtani dealt with some nerves prior to the game, he was still able to step up when the Dodgers needed him, as many expected he would.
“Prior to the game, just preparing for the game, just looking at the data, doing my usual preparation, I was a little nervous imagining myself out there on the mound. But once I was on the mound and on the field, that went away and it was really me focusing,” he said through interpreter Will Ireton.
Ohtani exited the game with a 5-3 lead and ended up earning his first postseason win, as well.
Shohei Ohtani starting potential Game 5?
As the Dodgers pitching lines up, Blake Snell gets the ball in Game 2, Yoshinobu Yamamoto in Game 3, and Tyler Glasnow in a potential Game 4. Should it go five games, the Dodgers have Shohei Ohtani lined up to start.
Ohtani would be starting on six days of rest, but they have not officially named a starter for that game. Snell would be the other option, which would be normal rest for him.
But the benefit of starting Ohtani is that it allows Snell to be available out of the bullpen, where it’s more unlikely the Dodgers would use their two-way superstar as a reliever.
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