Shohei Ohtani Set for 2026 Pitching Debut Against Guardians

Shohei Ohtani will make his pitching debut of 2026 when he faces the Cleveland Guardians at Dodger Stadium on Tuesday. The Dodgers scheduled him to pitch while he continues his bid for a fourth consecutive MVP award.

Early-season activity and fan interest

Ohtani has started all four games for the Dodgers this season as the designated hitter. Los Angeles sits at 3-1, the best record so far in the NL West.

He is 0-for with the long ball. His early numbers show a .167 average, four walks and two strikeouts in 17 plate appearances.

Thousands of fans queued outside the ballpark on Tuesday. The crowd was drawn by the pitching start and a mystery Yoshi-themed bobblehead giveaway modeled in Yoshinobu Yamamoto’s jersey.

Recent pitching background

Last season, Ohtani returned to the mound after Tommy John surgery and a pitching hiatus in 2024. He made 14 starts, logging 47 innings with a 2.87 ERA and 62 strikeouts.

He also started four postseason games as the Dodgers captured back-to-back World Series titles. Tuesday’s outing will be his 101st MLB pitching appearance and his 15th start in a Dodgers uniform.

Career pitching totals

Across his career, Ohtani owns a 39-20 record and a 3.00 ERA. He has recorded 670 strikeouts in 528 2/3 innings pitched.

Most of those innings were accumulated while he played with the Los Angeles Angels earlier in his career.

Notable milestones and recent moments

Tuesday’s start falls on the anniversary of his major-league pitching debut on March 31, 2018. In that game, he worked six innings, struck out six hitters and allowed three runs in a 7-4 win over Oakland.

He did not pitch in this year’s World Baseball Classic. Japan was eliminated by Venezuela in the quarterfinals.

In 2023’s WBC, Ohtani struck out then-teammate Mike Trout to clinch the title for Japan. During spring training this year, he fanned 11 batters in four innings in the Freeway Series finale against the Angels.

Awards and historic performances

Ohtani has compiled a list of elite honors since debuting in 2018. He was the 2018 Rookie of the Year and is a five-time All-Star.

He is a four-time MVP and four-time Silver Slugger. He has also earned three Hank Aaron Awards and six All-MLB First Team selections.

Ohtani helped the Dodgers to two World Series championships. In 2024, he became the first player in MLB history to hit 50 home runs and steal 50 bases in one season.

One of his most remarkable games came in Game 3 of the 2025 World Series. He reached base nine times, homering twice and doubling twice before drawing five walks.

Historic Japanese pitching streak for the Dodgers

Monday’s starter for the Dodgers was Roki Sasaki, who took a 4-2 loss to Cleveland. Yoshinobu Yamamoto is projected to start Wednesday for Los Angeles.

With Ohtani starting Tuesday, the Dodgers would become the first MLB club to use Japanese-born pitchers in three consecutive games. The Elias Sports Bureau confirmed the milestone.

Filmogaz.com will continue covering Ohtani’s season and the Dodgers’ pursuit of another deep postseason run.