Dodgers’ Shohei Ohtani immediately answers pressing question after WBC return

Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani was limited to designated hitter duties in the World Baseball Classic with Team Japan. Some wondered if not pitching in games for a couple of weeks would negatively impact his performance on the mound. Ohtani made his pitching return on Wednesday at spring training and did not waste any time shutting down the concerns.

Ohtani turned in 4.1 shutout innings and struck out four hitters along the way. According to Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic, the Dodgers superstar reached 99.9 MPH on his fastball.

It’s safe to say that not pitching in the World Baseball Classic did not have a negative impact on his performance. In fact, the extra rest in the pitching department could help him feel more fresh for the ’26 campaign.

Shohei Ohtani collects his first #SpringTraining K with a 99-mph fastball pic.twitter.com/adGtN2yuQs

— MLB (@MLB) March 18, 2026

The 31-year-old is the best overall player in the game. His two-way prowess on the mound is unbelievable. However, while his offense often receives no shortage of attention, Ohtani’s pitching prowess sometimes gets overlooked.

Sure, people mention his pitching consistently, but sometimes his greatness on the mound is not truly realized. A significant reason behind that is due to his elite offensive statistics. It’s easy to list what he contributes on offense and then mention that he pitches as well.

Ohtani holds a career 3.00 ERA on the mound. He only made 14 starts a season ago, but he recorded a 2.87 ERA during that span. In all reality, Ohtani could compete for the Cy Young in addition to the MVP. Back in 2022 — a season that saw Shohei pitch in 28 games — he finished fourth in Cy Young voting.

Meanwhile, the Dodgers currently hold a 3-0 lead over the San Francisco Giants in their spring training game.

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