Shohei Ohtani allowed singles to the first two batters he faced and a run in his one-inning Dodgers pitching debut Monday evening against the San Diego Padres at Dodger Stadium.
Ohtani allowed a leadoff single to Fernando Tatis Jr. on a full-count four-seam fastball. Tatis moved to second on a wild pitch and third on Luis Arraez’s single on a 2-2 sinker. Tatis scored on Manny Machado’s sacrifice fly to center fielder Andy Pages.
Ohtani induced Gavin Sheets and Xander Bogaerts to ground out to end the inning.
Anthony Banda replaced Ohtani as the Dodgers’ pitcher beginning the second inning but remained in the game as their designated hitter.
After striking out on a full count leading off the bottom of the first, Ohtani doubled in Pages, who had also doubled, with two outs in the bottom of the third, tying the score, 1-1.
The pitching appearance was Ohtani’s first since Aug. 23, 2023 when he tore his ulnar collateral ligament while playing for the Angels.
Manager Dave Roberts said Sunday he expected Ohtani to be able to pitch one inning longer each week.
Ohtani underwent a procedure to repair the ligament in September 2023, his second major surgery on his right elbow.
Ohtani underwent Tommy John surgery on Oct. 1, 2018, to repair a torn ligament in the elbow. He did not pitch again until July 26, 2020, the first of two pitching appearances in the coronavirus-delayed 2020 season.
Ohtani underwent arthroscopic shoulder surgery on Nov. 5 “to repair a labrum tear that resulted from a left (non-throwing) shoulder dislocation” during Game 2 of the World Series, according to the team.
Ohtani injured the shoulder sliding while trying to steal second base in the seventh inning of the Oct. 26 game against the Yankees. Despite the injury, he played in all remaining games of the series, but was 1-for-11 for a .091 batting average after the injury.