Shohei Ohtani's spring training pitching debut strikes out 4 batters, his hot performance matches Arizona's scorching heat.

Under Arizona's blazing sun, Shohei Ohtani matched the desert's dry heat with fiery pitches from the mound. In today's game against the San Francisco Giants at Camelback Ranch, Ohtani pitched 4.1 innings without allowing a run, using 61 pitches to strike out 4 batters, with his fastest pitch reaching 99.9 mph. When he left the field, the entire crowd stood and applauded, and his team ultimately won 5-1. Although his control occasionally faltered, resulting in two walks and one hit-by-pitch, he looked completely unlike a pitcher who hadn't appeared on the mound since Game 7 of last year's World Series.

"I'm satisfied with the number of pitches I used today," Ohtani said via translator Will Ireton. "For my next appearance, I hope to handle situations with two strikes better. Today, I couldn't finish off batters as expected."

In this spring training debut under temperatures exceeding 37 degrees Celsius, Ohtani focused solely on pitching and did not take on batting duties. It is expected that during the regular season, perhaps in next week's Freeway Series warm-up games, he will resume his familiar two-way role as both pitcher and hitter.

"He wants to re-adapt to the pitching rhythm and concentrate on his pitching work," manager Dave Roberts said. "He has accumulated enough plate appearances."

Before leaving to participate in the Classic, Ohtani had only played in one spring training game. During his time with the Japanese team, he served solely as a hitter, recording 6 hits in 13 at-bats across four games with a .462 batting average, contributing three home runs and seven RBIs, until Japan was eliminated in the quarterfinals by eventual champion Venezuela.

Since Ohtani did not pitch in the Classic, the progress of his arm adjustment remained uncertain for a while. During his absence, he conducted bullpen sessions and a four-inning simulated game, preparing him for his first spring training game appearance since 2023.

"It actually didn't feel like my first appearance in spring training this year," Ohtani said. "I prefer to view it as an extension of live batting practice. So, stepping onto the field didn't feel bad."

For most of spring training, the Dodgers expected Ohtani to pitch only two to three innings early in the season. However, Japan's early exit from the Classic gave him the opportunity to complete two spring training starts before official games. This puts his progress far ahead of last year's state when he was recovering from his second elbow surgery in MLB games. Last year, he essentially started over, gradually extending his pitch count inning by inning. This year, he might be nearly fully adjusted by his first regular-season start.

"It's undoubtedly much better than his condition at the start of last season," Roberts said. "After he appears in the Freeway Series, we'll see if he can pitch into the fifth or even sixth inning. From what we saw today, his condition is very good."

Ohtani's more thorough pitching preparation might affect the Dodgers' opening roster strategy. If he can only serve as a multi-inning opener early in the season, the team needs to stock the bullpen with several long relievers to support him and other starters still adjusting to regular workloads. Now, the Dodgers might start with a more traditional five-man rotation and activate a sixth starter when the schedule requires.

For Ohtani, starting the season with workload close to a regular starter could help him achieve one of his best pitching seasons in MLB. He only pitched the required innings in 2022, setting career records with 166 innings and 28 starts. This also makes his Cy Young Award dream more realistic.

The Dodgers' most important goal this year is to pursue a third consecutive championship. Ohtani has personal ambitions, but the team comes first.

"What's more important is maintaining flexibility and adaptability," Ohtani said. "Always keep the ultimate goal in mind, rather than fixating on how many starts must be completed."