And here’s the kicker: he already knows what to expect.
“The one thing I do know,” Ohtani said Friday, through interpreter Will Ireton, “is they serve really good Philly cheesesteaks in the clubhouse.”
That’s classic Ohtani — disarming smile, little joke. But beneath it is history. Because when he takes the ball for the Dodgers in Game 1 of the National League Division Series (6:30 p.m. ET, TBS), he’ll become the first player in Major League history to start as a pitcher in one postseason game and as a non-pitcher in another. The ultimate two-way unicorn, finally stepping onto the October stage in full.
And yes, even Ohtani admits he won’t be immune to the moment.
“I’m sure I’ll be nervous at times,” he said. “But more than that, I’m just really grateful that I get to play baseball at this time of the year. And just being healthy is really important to me, so I’m just grateful for that.”
It’s been a long road back. After undergoing a second major surgery on his right elbow in September 2023, Ohtani’s return to the mound was supposed to take most of 2024. The Dodgers slow-played his rehab, inching him forward week by week, until the ramp-up began in earnest in June. And when he did finally face big-league hitters again, it looked familiar: the same devastating arsenal that had overwhelmed lineups before the scalpel intervened.
“He’s ready for this moment,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “If it’s six innings, it could be seven. We’ve been waiting all year for this. For me, it’s just watching closely — but treating him like a regular pitcher.”
Regular? Hardly. Ask the Phillies. Last month at Dodger Stadium, Ohtani retired 15 of the 16 batters he faced. One time through the order felt like three.
“The fastball plays up, the breaking balls are sharp,” Phillies catcher J.T. Realmuto said. “He’s obviously going to be a challenge for us, but hopefully seeing him a second time helps our guys.”
So the stage is set: Ohtani’s first postseason start on the mound. The Phillies’ first crack at hitting him in their own building. A full-throated October crowd at Citizens Bank Park waiting to see if history bends their way, or if baseball’s most unique player writes a different type of chapter.
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