Ohtani Shines on Mound in Dodgers' Win Over Guardians

Shohei Ohtani dominates with 6 shutout innings in season debut, but struggles at the plate

Apr. 1, 2026 at 2:18pm

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Shohei Ohtani, the Los Angeles Dodgers' two-way superstar, opened his season on the mound with six scoreless innings and a win over the Cleveland Guardians. Ohtani allowed just one hit, struck out six, and walked three in the rainy 4-1 victory. However, he struggled at the plate, going 1-for-3 with two walks and a strikeout.

Why it matters

Ohtani's quest to win the Cy Young Award, the only major prize he has yet to claim, is off to a strong start. His dominant pitching performance showcases his ability to be an elite two-way player, which is a valuable asset for the Dodgers as they aim to contend for a championship.

The details

Ohtani was limited to just 14 starts last season as the Dodgers took a methodical approach to his return to the mound following a second major elbow surgery in 2023. This year, he feels more "loose and easy" on the mound, though he was critical of his own performance, saying he wants to work on being more consistent. Ohtani's fastball averaged a career-high 98.4 mph, and he was even successful in his first ABS challenge, getting a call overturned in the third inning.

  • Ohtani has thrown 22 2/3 consecutive scoreless innings in the regular season, dating to Aug. 27, 2025, against Cincinnati — the longest shutout streak of his career.
  • Ohtani was limited to two spring training starts for the Dodgers because he played — but didn't pitch — for Japan in the World Baseball Classic.

The players

Shohei Ohtani

The Los Angeles Dodgers' two-way superstar who opened his season with a dominant pitching performance, throwing six shutout innings and allowing just one hit.

Max Muncy

The Dodgers' third baseman who expects Ohtani to have a Cy Young-caliber season, saying "I expect nothing short of almost a Cy Young out of him."

Dave Roberts

The Dodgers' manager who has noticed that Ohtani is more critical of himself as a pitcher than a hitter, saying "He's never going to be satisfied."

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What they’re saying

“Last year, I felt good. But this year I do feel a lot more loose and easy pitching overall. Looking back at today's outing specifically, that wasn't necessarily the case. So that's something I want to work on. But compared to last season I felt more loose and easy.”

— Shohei Ohtani

“He's never going to be satisfied. There's always something that he can improve on or get better at and that's what fuels him.”

— Dave Roberts, Dodgers Manager

“If he's able to do it the whole year, that's just a huge boost to our pitching staff. I expect nothing short of almost a Cy Young out of him.”

— Max Muncy, Dodgers Third Baseman

What’s next

Ohtani will get six days' rest before his next start, as the Dodgers look to prioritize the rest of their starting rotation with Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Tyler Glasnow, and Blake Snell when he returns.

The takeaway

Ohtani's dominant pitching performance to open the season showcases his ability to be an elite two-way player, which is a valuable asset for the Dodgers as they aim to contend for a championship. His quest to win the Cy Young Award, the only major prize he has yet to claim, is off to a strong start.