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Ohtani Dominates Giants in Spring Debut
19 Mar
Summary
- Shohei Ohtani allowed only one hit in his first spring start.
- Ohtani pitched 4 ⅓ innings, exceeding the initial goal.
- Ohtani focused solely on pitching due to extreme heat.
Shohei Ohtani delivered a commanding performance in his initial spring training start for the Dodgers, limiting the San Francisco Giants to a single hit over 4 ⅓ innings. Despite temperatures nearing 100 degrees, Ohtani exceeded his planned workload, impressing the sparse crowd with his pitching prowess. He issued two walks and hit one batter but surrendered no runs.
Ohtani expressed contentment with his pitch count but aims to improve his two-strike execution. His focus was exclusively on pitching for this appearance, with his hitting duties deferred to a later date due to the intense heat and his unique spring training build-up, which included participation in the World Baseball Classic.
Manager Dave Roberts indicated Ohtani is on track for approximately five innings in his first regular-season start, alleviating the need for long relievers to supplement his outings. The team also provided an update on pitcher Roki Sasaki, who is expected to be a starter despite recent command issues. Utility player Santiago Espinal's contract was officially selected, while pitcher Kyle Hurt was optioned to triple-A.
