The initial batter for the Dodgers in the NLDS is Shohei Ohtani.
Dave Roberts, the manager of the Los Angeles Dodgers, verified on Wednesday that Ohtani will be the initial pitcher in Game 1 of the NLDS this Saturday, opposing the Philadelphia Phillies. This declaration was made soon after the Dodgers concluded their Game 2 face-off against the Cincinnati Reds with an 8-4 score, propelling the Dodgers into the divisional round of the playoffs for their 13th consecutive season.
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Once Ohtani steps onto the pitching mound this Saturday at Citizens Bank Park, he will etch his name in Major League Baseball history. According to MLB.com’s Sarah Langs, he will be the first player to initiate at least one game as a pitcher and another as a non-pitcher within a single postseason.
This event will also signify Ohtani’s inaugural MLB postseason pitching appearance. He was unable to pitch during the previous season with the Dodgers due to recovery from elbow surgery. Furthermore, Ohtani did not participate in the postseason during his six seasons with the Los Angeles Angels.
The Dodgers did not find it necessary to utilize Ohtani on the pitching mound during their initial two games of this postseason. Yoshinobu Yamamoto impressively achieved nine strikeouts and allowed zero earned runs across 6 2/3 innings in his start on Wednesday. Blake Snell delivered seven strong innings in the team’s 10-5 triumph over the Reds in Game 1 on Tuesday.
Ohtani has been gradually increasing his pitching activity this season after undergoing a second surgery in September 2023. He debuted against the San Diego Padres on June 16, pitching for one inning. Since then, he has progressively increased his time on the mound, pitching six full innings in the team’s 5-4 defeat to the Arizona Diamondbacks on Sept. 23. He has not pitched since that game.
Ohtani achieved a 2.87 ERA with 62 strikeouts in 47 innings this season. As a batter, his performance was nearly as remarkable as last season, during which he was honored with the NL MVP title. Ohtani marked a career-high of 55 home runs and 102 RBI this season, accompanied by a slash line of .282/.392/.622. He is currently a leading contender for a second consecutive MVP award.
The Phillies concluded the season with a 96-66 record, securing the NL East title and the league’s No. 2 seed. They were second only to the Milwaukee Brewers in the NL, earning them a bye past the wild-card round.
The Dodgers stand as the first wild-card team to secure a place in the division series this season. Three Game 3s are scheduled across the league on Thursday to conclude the opening round before the division series commences on Saturday.
