Shohei Ohtani’s debut at Dodger Stadium was not what was expected. How was the LA star’s performance?
The Dodgers beat the St. Louis Cardinals 7-1 with little collaboration from Ohtani.
Shohei Ohtani walks to the batter’s box during the game against the Cardinals.
The day Shohei Ohtani and the Los Angeles Dodgers fans were eagerly waiting for finally arrived. The Japanese player finally made his long-awaited debut at Dodger Stadium against a rival that seemed easy, the St. Louis Cardinals. But his first appearance in front of his home crowd was not what they expected.
The arrival of Ohtani to the Californian team was one of the most talked about movements in the MLB offseason. His 10-year, $700 million contract is the largest in Major League history, and the deal specifications generated much controversy in the weeks following the signing.
Once everything was settled, all that was left was to see Ohtani go into action in the Dodgers jersey to know if the investment had been worth it. The pitcher/designated hitter’s first official game was on a team tour in South Korea against the San Diego Padres.
The tour was not bad for Ohtani, with three hits in 10 at-bats, one run scored, two RBIs, and one walk in two games. However, for many fans, those games still seemed far away, not only because of the geographical distance but also because of the inconvenient schedule that prevented many from watching. For all of them, his real debut was today.
A gray night for Ohtani
The Opening Day was a success for the home team. The 7-1 victory was revenge for pitcher Mike Mikolas’ comments earlier this month that the Dodgers were playing “checkbook baseball.” Mikolas allowed seven hits and five runs in 4 1/3 innings.
However, Ohtani has little to boast about in the offensive barrage against Mikolas. Shohei went 2-for-3, with a walk and a run. Freddie Freeman drove the latter with a home run in the third inning.
Ohtani started the game well, with a double down the right field line. However, a communication error on the paths by the Dodgers led him to take third base at the same time as Mookie Betts, who had arrived there after a walk.
The series against the Cardinals will continue through the weekend at Dodger Stadium. During this time, Ohtani will have the opportunity to ingratiate himself with his audience, both for his gray performances and the betting scandal in which he was involved through his interpreter, Ippei Mizuhara.
