Shohei Ohtani is finally set to take the mound on Wednesday for his first spring training pitching appearance, a headline moment in the two-way star’s ramp-up as the Dodgers zero in on Opening Day on March 26. Coming off international duty, Ohtani’s outing will be an early look at how Los Angeles manages the delicate juggling act of his workload as both a hitter and a pitcher.
The Dodgers face the San Francisco Giants at Camelback Ranch in Glendale on Wednesday afternoon, a matchup already on the clubs’ Cactus League schedule. According to Ticketmaster, the setting gives Los Angeles a controlled environment to let Ohtani log some competitive innings without overextending him.
Roberts Wants A Short Turn
Manager Dave Roberts told reporters he is not looking for a marathon in this first outing. "I think three to four [innings] is fair for tomorrow," he said, adding that the plan is to follow it with one more exhibition appearance against the Angels on March 23 or 24 as the club carefully builds him toward the regular season. Those comments, along with Ohtani’s status after Team Japan’s World Baseball Classic run, were reported by ABC7 Los Angeles.
Numbers Back The Caution
Statcast data show Ohtani went 1–1 with a 2.87 ERA across 14 appearances and 47 innings last season while striking out 62, according to Baseball Savant. ESPN’s postseason tables list him at 2–1 with a 4.43 ERA in the playoffs as the Dodgers secured a second straight World Series title, which helps explain why the team is in no rush to pile early-season innings on his arm.
What To Watch In Glendale
If Wednesday unfolds according to plan, the Dodgers expect one more tightly managed appearance before deciding how quickly to stretch Ohtani into regular starts. His velocity, pitch mix, and whether he exits after the targeted three to four innings will all be key tells for the club, and for fans eager to circle the date of his next regular-season turn on the mound.
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