After the Padres game, Ohtani, who signed a 10-year, $700 million contract with the Dodgers in 2023, said that he expects to see a gradual increase in his pitching usage going forward, as noted by Bill Plunkett of The Orange County Register.

Shohei Ohtani allowed an early run in his pitching debut for the Los Angeles Dodgers, but quickly made up for it with two clutch hits and a pair of RBIs in a 6-3 victory over the San Diego Padres.