Dodgers Cap Off Spring Training with Strong Shohei Ohtani Start
Spring Training is over and the Los Angeles Dodgers look to ahead to Opening Day despite losing to Los Angeles Angels 3-0.
LOS ANGELES -- The Los Angeles Dodgers are ready to begin their 2026 campaign. Despite dropping their last Spring Training game to the crosstown rival Los Angeles Angels 3-0 on Tuesday night, there were plenty of positives to go around in the last few games. Tuesday's game especially showed their readiness as Shohei Ohtani took the mound for his final spring tune-up.
Many believed that Ohtani's trip to play in the World Baseball Classic would hinder his pitching ramp-up, but he has not missed a step pitching-wise. In his last Spring tune-up before the season kicks off, Ohtani struck out 11 Angels in four innings while giving up only one earned run on four hits and walking two. In the pregame, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts hoped that Ohtani could record six innings and 80 pitches, but the number of strikeouts and long at-bats drove his pitch count up early.
Following his start, Roberts made it clear where Ohtani stands before the season starts. “He’s ready to go," Roberts stated in the postgame. Roberts was also very confident in the pregame presser on how Ohtani's pitching could play in 2026.
So much so that he believes that if Ohtani can pitch in all of his scheduled starts, he will be in the Cy Young Award conversation this year. “Because of just talent, ability, will," Roberts said. "If he does that, he’ll be in the conversation, absolutely.