The Pittsburgh Pirates called up MLB No. 1 prospect Konnor Griffin ahead of their six-game home stand, which begins Friday.

The Pirates made a shocking decision to assign Griffin to the minors after he had a solid spring training, hitting four homers and tallying nine RBIs through 16 games. He got off to an amazing start in Triple-A, slashing .438/.571/.625 with three doubles and three stolen bases through five games.

Ahead of his debut, Griffin is set to be the first teenager to play in MLB since Juan Soto in 2018, as well as the first teenager to play in one of their team’s first seven games since Adrian Beltre in 1999.

The Pirates have already engaged in contract negotiations with Griffin ahead of his debut, with both sides’ valuations sitting well into nine digits, per ESPN.

A 2024 first-round pick, Griffin played his first full season of professional baseball in 2025 and rose from Single-A to Double-A during the campaign. Across the three levels he at which he played, Griffin posted a .942 OPS through 122 games with 21 home runs and 94 RBIs.

Can the Pirates Win Now With Griffin’s Addition?

While the Pirates have been rooted to the bottom of the NL Central for the past couple of years, an active offseason made them an interesting case.

They obviously have the 2024 NL Rookie of the Year and 2025 NL Cy Young award winner Paul Skenes spearheading their rotation, and have solid pieces behind him with players like veteran Mitch Keller and another promising young talent in Bubba Chandler.

As far as their lineup goes, they added All-Stars Ryan O’Hearn and Marcell Ozuna over the offseason to add an extra layer of power after their poor offensive showings last season. Josh Lowe also joined the Pirates during the winter, and has been a bright spot for the offense early in the season.

Along with established players like Oneil Cruz and Bryan Reynolds, the Pirates have the potential to be a fun team this year, but whether or not they’ll contend is a different story.

How Have the Pirates Performed So Far?

The Pirates currently have a 3-3 record, still placing them at the bottom of the NL Central, but they’re nowhere near as hopeless as in 2025.

After a rough Opening Day loss defined by defensive miscues and a pitiful offensive showing in their second game of the season, the Pirates pieced together a 4-3 win over the Mets to close their first series of the season.

They then traveled to Cincinnati to face their division rivals in the Reds, and took two of three games, scoring eight in each of the final two games of the series.

The Pirates may still be a piece or two away from really contending, but have an exciting squad which is sure to draw some eyes over the course of the season.

What do you think of Konnor Griffin leading into his debut?

After a humbling 4-1 loss to the Cleveland Guardians Wednesday night, it’s become clear that what was supposed to be a strength for the Los Angeles Dodgers instead could be a weakness.

The offense of the much-vaunted Dodgers lineup has failed to produce hits and runs.

The Dodgers only had five hits, three of which were by center fielder Andy Pages, and scored their lone run on a solo home run by Freddie Freeman.

Compare that to the team’s 12 strikeouts, including three by catcher Will Smith alone and two each by four other players.

What Are Fans Saying About the Hitting?

On social media, Dodgers fans might be starting to panic a little bit.

“Put this offense on a milk carton,” wrote j.fowl.

“fans need to start booing like how they do in philly, absolutely pathetic offense,” said dadecounty.carlos.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Dodgers Nation (@dodgersnation)

Others, like kyle_lenker_14, took a more measured approach.

“Does it feel like this offense has a tendency to run so cold for the last few seasons . Is it concerning ? not sure but just something of note,” they wrote.

Perhaps the most perplexing part of the offensive struggles is that the team’s stars are the ones most absent.

Particular anger was directed at superstar Shohei Ohtani and big free-agency acquisition Kyle Tucker, the top two hitters in the lineup.

“Ohtani and Tucker immediately kill the momentum?,” wrote gio_privs06.

What Does the Team Say About the Offensive Struggles?

Asked earlier this week about Ohtani, Tucker and Freeman, all of whom are left-handed at the plate, manager Dave Roberts expressed confidence that the stars’ first four games wouldn’t be predictive for the whole season.

At that point, they were a combined 8-for-43.

“I am surprised that they got off to a slow start, but you just never really know,” Roberts said, per the Orange County Register‘s Bill Plunkett. “Spring training is just not predictive. It’s just not. I think for me, the takeaway is we’re 3-1 and the guys that we expect to swing the bats aren’t swinging the bats right now. So that’s a good thing. They’ll hit.”

On Wednesday night, aside from Freeman’s solo homer, Dodgers fans were still waiting for their stars’ bats to come to life.

Do you think the Dodgers’ lefties can turn it around? When do you think we’ll see better results?

Aside from Andy Pages, the Los Angeles Dodgers seem to have a problem at the plate.

In Wednesday night’s 4-1 loss to the Cleveland Guardians, the Boys in Blue did more than just lose a series. They showed the much-lauded lineup may not be the unstoppable offensive force many believed it to be.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Dodgers Nation (@dodgersnation)

Pages had three of the Dodgers’ five hits, and though Freddie Freeman hit a solo home run in the bottom of the ninth, superstars like Shohei Ohtani and Kyle Tucker were unable to help put runs on the board.

Yoshinobu Yamamoto pitched six innings and gave up only two earned runs, though the lack of offense put the team in a poor position.

Over 90 pitches, Yamamoto allowed four hits, struck out two and walked one.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Dodgers Nation (@dodgersnation)

Will Klein, Tanner Scott and Blake Treinen all appeared in relief, though Scott allowed a two-run home run that gave one earned run each to himself and Klein.

What’s Next for the Dodgers?

The Dodgers (4-2) are off Thursday before facing the Washington Nationals starting Friday.

That series, being on the East Coast, starts early for those in Southern California. First pitch is set for just after 10 a.m. Pacific Time.

Ahead of the 2026 season, Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Andy Pages was a question mark at the plate.

He’d hit well during the regular season, but in the playoffs, he vanished in the batter’s box.

In the World Series, he batted .063 after going 1-for-16, with that lone hit being a single.

Through the first few games of 2026, though, Pages is far and away the team’s top hitter.

In five games, he is 6-for-18, a .333 average, and has a home run. In addition, his five RBIs are tied for the team lead.

And in Wednesday night’s game against the Cleveland Guardians, he had three of the Dodgers’ five hits, bringing his hit total to nine and drawing praise from Jack Harris of The California Post.

“His at-bats have been really good this week,” Harris wrote on social media after the first hit. “Up to seven hits already. No one else on the team has more than four.”

“He now has twice as many hits as any other Dodger,” Harris added after the second hit.

So what changed? It could be a renewed focus on hitting this offseason.

How Did Andy Pages Prepare for 2026?

To start with, he eschewed playing with Team Cuba in the World Baseball Classic, instead opting to prepare for the Dodgers’ season.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Dodgers Nation (@dodgersnation)

It showed during spring training.

Pages slashed .340/.370/.500 with three doubles, a triple and a home run. He also scored 10 runs and drove in nine RBIs.

What’s the Key to Andy Pages’ Success?

As Dodgers Nation’s Doug McKain said before the season began, Pages needed to be more patient.

“The biggest key for Pages to take the next step as an established major leaguer is improving his plate discipline,” McKain said. “As a rookie, he didn’t draw his first walk until his 76th at-bat, and his patience regressed again in his sophomore season. He drew only 20 walks over his final 128 games and recorded a 3.9% walk rate over the last five months—fourth worst among qualified hitters.”

So far, that’s an issue he seems to have fixed. He’s only struck out twice, though he has room to improve. He has yet to walk this season.

Do you think Andy Pages can keep up the offensive production this season?

The Los Angeles Dodgers are adding a new pitcher after young arm Gavin Stone was moved to the 60-day injured list to clear up a spot on the 40-man roster.

The Dodgers claimed Grant Holman, a righty from the Arizona Diamondbacks, off waivers with the new roster spot.

Stone, who underwent a serious shoulder surgery back in 2024 that led him to miss the entire 20265 season, had a promising one-inning start in Spring Training just for him to suffer a setback that has led to him not pitching.

He was expected to play a key role in the rotation for the Dodgers before going down with his latest injury, which will lead to him missing a good deal of action as a result.

Manager Dave Roberts said a handful of days ago that Stone is set to resume throwing with a four- to five-week timetable before he returns to the mound.

“I would say he’s pre-spring training, or right at the beginning,” Roberts said.

The Dodgers are seemingly giving him even longer before he has to return, and the addition of Holman will help provide a pitcher with options remaining to send him down to the minor leagues if and when Stone is available.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Dodgers Nation (@dodgersnation)

What does Grant Holman bring to the Dodgers?

The California native is 6 feet 6 inches, weighs 250 pounds, is only 25 years old, and already has 40 MLB appearances to his name.

He has a career 4.66 ERA in 40 games, throwing a total of 38.2 innings and totaling 33 strikeouts. His fastball sits around 94 mph, and his fastball spin rate has been in the second percentile, according to Baseball Savant.

He manages to use his whole frame to extend well on pitches; however, his extension is in the 90th percentile.

His three-pitch arsenal is a fastball, slider, and splitter. His pitches have average run value, but in 2025, when he had a 5.09 ERA, he gave up a ton of hard contact and not many whiffs.

At such a young age and with a decent fastball, along with an expected ERA of 3.37 in 2024, Holman has a solid profile as an organizational arm to provide cover in Stone’s absence, and he could become another player that the Dodgers make the most out of from the MLB scrapheap.

Holman is the second pitcher that the Dodgers added on Wednesday, with the team also making a move for Jake Eder, a former Angels pitcher who gives the team a left-handed pitcher if needed.

The Los Angeles Dodgers have moved pitcher Gavin Stone to the 60-day injured list as they adjust their roster.

Stone, who has been battling a shoulder injury, suffered a setback in spring training.

That gruesome injury, which he sustained in 2024, kept him out for all of the 2025 season.

He’s received some positive news about his shoulder, but as his recovery continues, the Dodgers decided to put him on the IL, instead signing Grant Holman, a right-hander from the Arizona Diamondbacks, as reported by Bill Plunkett of the Orange County Register.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Dodgers Nation (@dodgersnation)

What Injury is Gavin Stone Battling?

As detailed by Dodgers Nation’s Doug McKain, Stone underwent extensive shoulder work, more than initially reported, after injuring his shoulder.

“Stone began experiencing difficulty recovering between starts, which ultimately led to surgery performed by renowned Dodgers team physician Neal ElAttrache,” McKain reports.

That surgery on Oct. 9, 2024, was to repair the capsule, partial labrum, and partial rotator cuff.

“During the procedure, ElAttrache discovered that bone was scraping against the shoulder capsule. In addition to addressing that issue, they performed a partial labrum repair and a partial rotator cuff repair,” McKain said.

How Do the Dodgers Feel About Gavin Stone’s Setback?

While frustrating, the injury setback has left the Dodgers optimistic about Stone’s return, with manager Dave Roberts saying they “dodged a bullet.”

Roberts also praised Stone’s tenacity after he pitched an inning in spring training.

”I was surprised by the severity of the injury, I think, but it speaks to Gavin is such a tough, tough ball player, and so he was going through stuff and still found a way to compete and be good, but some of these guys are just such good competitors that there’s always stuff that’s bothering.”

Stone also felt hopeful about his potential.

“That was awesome,” Stone said to SportsNet LA’s Kirsten Watson. “Considering the whole rehab process, how long it took, the surgery I had, it was amazing to finally get back out there and do what I love doing.

”…As long as I could replicate the stuff I had in ‘24 I knew I’d be okay. Getting back to that point, working on the velo… I’m just ready to go out there and get outs for the guys. I don’t really care about personal accomplishments or what I do out there as long as I can get outs for the guys as long as we can push for a three-peat.”

Los Angeles Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani is renowned for his game-changing ability on the mound at the plate.

Being able to be effective in both phases of the game is one thing though. Being perhaps the most dominant offensive player and the most dominant pitcher at the same time is another thing entirely.

Yet that’s the case Ohtani is making with two league-leading streaks, as reported by Thomas Harrigan of MLB.com.

With six scoreless innings on the mound Tuesday night, Ohtani reached 22.2 innings pitched without allowing a run, the longest such active streak in Major League Baseball.

At the plate, he also reached base three times, twice on walks and once on a single.

That makes 36 straight games reaching base safely. Again, that’s the longest active streak in the majors.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Dodgers Nation (@dodgersnation)

How Did Shohei Ohtani Do on Tuesday?

Streaks aside, Ohtani performed admirably Tuesday night.

In addition to allowing no runs, he gave up only one hit. He also struck out six batters against three walks.

And he did all that in a rain storm, very uncharacteristic weather for Dodger Stadium.

After the game, Ohtani told SportsNet LA’s Kirsten Watson that the weather was indeed a factor.

“The mound was challenging with the weather, but it was still a solid experience for my first start, with so many left-handed hitters in the Guardians’ lineup, I let [catcher Will] Smith handle the pitch calling,” he said through a translator.

Much like Ohtani did to him, Smith deflected credit back to the superstar when he spoke with SNLA.

“I thought it was really good. He was mixing all his pitches effectively to retire batters. Six scoreless innings, right? It was a truly outstanding start,” he said.

How Did Shohei Ohtani Handle Hitting?

Ohtani was dealing on the mound, but he also performed admirably at the plate, where was 1-for-3 with a single, and he also walked twice.

Ohtani and other Dodgers stars have been off to a relatively slow start at the plate in 2026, but the Japanese superstar had a better excuse than most.

He had to quickly change gear when he was due up at the plate.

At one point, Ohtani appeared to briefly forget he was due to hit, heading to the bench before realizing he had to don his gear and and prepare to hit.

Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani will be making his next appearance on the mound in early April against a familiar foe.

Ohtani will be going up against the Toronto Blue Jays on Wednesday, April 8, on the road, marking the place where he made the start in the 2025 World Series.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Dodgers Nation (@dodgersnation)

The righty made his season debut on the mound on Tuesday, March 31, pitching well despite the rain and the environment being less than ideal.

Despite being a full-time hitter, Ohtani will still make regular starts for the Dodgers, officially serving as a member of the rotation.

The Dodgers are going to be careful with him, however, as they try to keep him upright for the entire season.

He came back from his second Tommy John surgery in the middle of 2025, but he is now starting his first full season as a pitcher with the Dodgers in 2026.

In his first start, Ohtani went six clean innings, allowing no runs and putting up six strikeouts. He only allowed a hit and totaled three walks.

He was not totally perfect; his fastball velocity was down, and the spin on his pitches was not ideal, but he still managed to get outs — the main job of a pitcher.

Manager Dave Roberts noted that Ohtani was not at his sharpest, but he did a great job battling through the setbacks.

“Obviously in that last inning, the mound started to get to him a little bit,” Roberts said. “Being able to fix it and kind of get his footing back was good to get through that Hoskins at-bat. But yeah, not a whole lot affects his mind.”

Ohtani, for his part, made it clear that he is feeling quite good about his ability to pitch, noting a good deal of progress in his body now that he is no longer affected by his surgery and health limitations.

“Last year, I felt good. But this year, I do feel a lot more loose and easy pitching overall,” Ohtani said through interpreter Will Ireton. “Looking back at today’s outing specifically, that wasn’t necessarily the case. So that’s something I want to work on.”

Ohtani’s Cy Young goals

Ohtani wants a Cy Young, and everyone in the organization knows it. The pressure is on for him to take advantage of the peak of his powers, though he will not get as many innings as other players who only pitch.

Ohtani will be pitching on an atypical schedule due to his hitting. Dave Roberts outlined that he will be pitching once every seven or eight days. Lefty Justin Wrobleski will be filling in for the Dodgers if there is any gap as essentially a sixth starter.

Additionally, Wrobleski will serve as an alternative to Roki Sasaki if he has any serious struggles during a start.

The Dodgers will be working with a careful hand, as Roberts has explained before, and multiple other organizational pieces will help cover Ohtani.

“I’m going start by start,” Roberts said. “It’s just not an exact science, as much as people want to think it might be, and some people probably do.

“Innings aren’t all created equal. All throws aren’t created equal. We talked to him a lot on how he’s feeling, and if there’s days that we got to kind of give him a couple extra days, we’re willing to do that.”

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Dodgers Nation (@dodgersnation)

If he stays healthy and remains this effective, along with some more strikeouts, Ohtani will certainly be in the race and will a serious chance to add hardware.

The Yoshi bobblehead giveaway at Dodger Stadium Tuesday night was a huge success, drawing fans of both Nintendo and the Boys in Blue.

Those fans reportedly included some of the Dodgers players themselves, according to Sonja Chen of MLB.com, who reported that players had their own “Yoshi,” pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto, sign the bobbleheads.

Thanks to Dodgers photographer Jon SooHoo, we now know who at least one of the signed Yoshi bobbleheads belongs to: first baseman Freddie Freeman.

Freeman and Yamamoto posed for a pic as the ace signed the bobblehead.

That wasn’t the only way Yamamoto participated in Yoshi night, though.

What Else Happened on Yoshi Bobblehead Night?

Alongside Yoshi (the pitcher) and Yoshi (the video game and movie character), the actor who plays Yoshi in the new film The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, Donald Glover, threw out the first pitch.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Los Angeles Dodgers (@dodgers)

Glover also participated in a fun video with Yamamoto and a stuffed mascot Yoshi in which the three “Yoshis” pointed at each other in a manner reminiscent of the Spider-Man meme.

Adding another layer to the video is Glover’s history as an actor, as fans pushed for him to play Spider-Man earlier in his career.

Where Can I get a Yoshi Bobblehead?

If you’re looking to get your hands on a bobblehead, you’re in luck, but it might cost you a pretty penny.

Sites like StockX have bobbleheads for resale between $200 and $300, which is a bit higher than the price of the ticket, which included a bobblehead for the first 40,000 fans.

Those fans also got to witness fellow Japanese superstar Shohei Ohtani pitch six scoreless innings, allowing only one hit, and record a hit of his own at the plate.

The fans did, however, have to sit in the rain, a rarity for Southern California, so they’ve had to work for those bobbleheads.

Perhaps $200 to $300 isn’t so much, given the effort fans had to go through.

That price, though, does not include Yamamoto’s autograph.

Freeman and his Dodger teammates who had Yamamoto sign their bobbleheads may have gotten themselves a truly priceless piece of Dodgers memorabilia.

Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani hasn’t hit much in 2026, but his approach at the plate has caught his manager’s eye.

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts spoke to the media ahead of the Dodgers’ series finale against the Cleveland Guardians on Wednesday and praised the reigning MVP for his plate discipline in the early portion of the 2026 season.

“It’s been a small sample this year but in general, he’s probably there in the middle,” Roberts said. “He’s doing a good job.”

Ohtani is off to a slow start with the stick in 2026 and has just three hits through 15 at-bats, but has managed six walks through the first five games of the season—leading the National League. He has a .455 on-base percentage this season, which would rank as his career-high if he maintained this level of production throughout the entire season.

The four-time MVP isn’t any stranger to getting on base, and has led his respective league in on-base percentage in two of the last three years.

How has the Dodgers’ Offense Performed as a Whole?

While Ohtani hasn’t been on his game, the same is true for most of the Dodgers’ offense.

Their 106 wRC+ through five games ranks 11th, dropping them several spots from their second-place finish in 2025. Additionally, Ohtani is doing most of the heavy lifting in terms of walks, as the Dodgers have the 21st-ranked walk percentage in MLB through five games.

While their offense isn’t quite performing up to standard, the Dodgers are still getting the job done due to some fantastic displays from both their starting rotation and bullpen.

Is Shohei Ohtani Still Pitching for the Dodgers?

Ohtani has more than just hit hitting to worry about in 2026, as he is entering his first full season as a pitcher with the Dodgers.

He made his first regular season appearance of the year against the Guardians on Tuesday, and lasted six innings in his season debut. He gave up one hit while striking out six batters, and didn’t allow a run during the outing.

The right-hander returned as a pitcher in 2025 after missing more than a year on the mound due to Tommy John surgery, and had a solid season with the Dodgers after coming back. He made 14 starts for LA, keeping a 2.87 ERA through 47 innings pitched and striking out 62 batters.

Ohtani’s performance Tuesday is a promising sign for Dodger fans, who are itching to see a full season of the best player in the world at his full potential.

What have you made of Shohei Ohtani’s season so far, both at the plate and on the mound?

The Los Angeles Dodgers kept an unchanged lineup for their series finale against the Cleveland Guardians on Wednesday.

The Dodgers took a 4-1 win against the Guardians in the second game of their three-game set Monday, with center fielder Andy Pages, left fielder Teoscar Hernandez and third baseman Max Muncy coming through with RBIs to level the series.

Designated hitter Shohei Ohtani—as always—will lead off for the Dodgers, and right fielder Kyle Tucker will stay in the No. 2 spot. Shortstop Mookie Betts is still batting third, and first baseman Freddie Freeman will stay in the No. 4 spot.

Catcher Will Smith has a hit in three of his four starts this season and will bat fifth, followed by Muncy, Hernandez and Pages. Second baseman Alex Freeland will start his first back-to-back of 2026 in the No. 9 spot.

The only difference in the Dodgers’ lineup is their starting pitcher, as right-hander Yoshinobu Yamamoto will make his second start of the season.

Dodgers Lineup vs. Guardians on Wednesday

1. Shohei Ohtani, DH
2. Kyle Tucker, RF
3. Mookie Betts, SS
4. Freddie Freeman, 1B
5. Will Smith, C
6. Max Muncy, 3B
7. Teoscar Hernandez, LF
8. Andy Pages, CF
9. Alex Freeland, 2B
P. Yoshinobu Yamamoto, RHP

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Dodgers Nation (@dodgersnation)

The Guardians have Gavin Williams on the mound for his second start of the season, and the right-hander is looking for his first win. He allowed three earned runs through five innings in his first start, but stuck out seven batters in the outing against the Seattle Mariners.

Williams’ strikeout tally from his first start is worrying, but the Dodgers have managed themselves well in the box so far this season and currently have the third-lowest strikeout rate in MLB through the first five regular season games of 2026.

Current Dodgers also have a decent track record against Williams throughout his career, as they have a career .333 batting average with two home runs against the veteran. Contrarily, Yamamoto has performed extremely well against the Guardians in one appearance against them, allowing just three hits and striking seven batters out.

Do you think the Dodgers can close the series out tonight?

Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Justin Wrobleski is looking forward to his first start of 2026 against the Toronto Blue Jays next week.

Wrobleski and the Blue Jays have history, as the benches cleared during an incident surrounding the left-hander in Game 7 of the World Series. The 25-year-old nearly hit Andres Gimenez with a pitch in the final game of the season, with the infielder appearing to throw his hand towards the pitch in an attempt to get a free base.

Gimenez wore the next pitch off of his hand before gesturing to Wrobleski, who took advantage and began walking towards home plate. The benches cleared to keep the two apart from each other, though they exchanged a few words before the incident ended.

Despite the likely hostile environment awaiting him up north, Wrobleski isn’t going to shy away from the challenge.

“It’s gonna be great,” Wrobleski said. “They’re gonna boo me and it’s gonna be really awesome. That’s what makes sports great, I think. If I were a Toronto fan, I probably wouldn’t like me either.”

The Dodgers ultimately got the last laugh in Game 7 with a historic comeback, winning their second consecutive World Series championship. Wrobleski played an integral part, pitching 1.1 scoreless innings after Shohei Ohtani exited the game in the third inning.

Has Justin Wrobleski Pitched for the Dodgers in 2026?

Wrobleski has made one appearance for the Dodgers this season after breaking camp, coming in for a long relief outing against the Cleveland Guardians in the Dodgers’ loss on Monday. He pitched four innings, allowing three runs on four hits with two strikeouts.

The southpaw also made four appearances for the Dodgers during spring training, and had a solid run of appearances. He pitched five times during the Dodgers’ preseason, and didn’t allow a run through his first three appearances. All five of the runs he allowed in spring training came against the Chicago White Sox on March 14, where he pitched 2.1 innings and had three strikeouts.

His best outing came in his final appearance of the spring, where he threw four perfect innings with five strikeouts against the Los Angeles Angels in an exhibition match.

Is Justin Wrobleski in the Dodgers Rotation?

While Wrobleski is set to start a game for the Dodgers, he isn’t a regular part of their rotation.

Wrobleski’s appearance against the Blue Jays will be a spot start, giving their other pitchers some time to recover due to a crowded schedule. Manager Dave Roberts elaborated on Wrobleski’s role with the Dodgers just before the start of the season, saying he will be available to piggyback the first time through the rotation with an expectation to make some starts as the season progresses.

Are you looking forward to the Dodgers’ World Series rematch with the Toronto Blue Jays?

Los Angeles Dodgers two-way star Shohei Ohtani was on the receiving end of a bold take after his first start of the season.

Ohtani fanned six in six innings of work, marking a great start to his season in terms of results.

He allowed only one hit, proving he gets outs effectively, but his stuff was not at its best, which should be quite worrying for teams going forward.

The righty went 1-for-3 with two walks on Tuesday at the plate, changing erratically after he was done pitching to hit at the top of the order a few times.

With Ohtani throwing the ball so well and putting on a true showcase of his abilities, Fox Sports’ Colin Cowherd felt good enough to take a firm stance on the debate between the Japanese star and his only other historical comparison, Babe Ruth.

“Last night, Ohtani, six scoreless innings, gets on bases of batter. He’s now, for the first time in a couple of years, he is now a full-time go both way pitcher and hitter,” Cowherd said on “The Herd.”

“And he’s absolutely remarkable. There’s something, though, in baseball, it’s almost a silly childlike romanticism, where we want to talk about the good old days.

“And, I think it’s disrespectful. I think the quality of baseball players has improved now that the sport is so global. It’s unbelievable. If Ohtani were pitching back during Babe Ruth’s day, I’ve got a feeling he would throw a no-hitter every outing.

“I know the soda jerk from Woolworths would give him trouble. And maybe the part-time milkman would draw a walk.

“The chimney sweeper would take him to a full count. I’m going to go with a guy who has now been an MVP three straight seasons.”

When comparing Ohtani and Ruth’s Baseball-Reference pages, the Red Sox legend has him well beaten in bWAR and years of sustained success.

However, Cowherd brings up a good point about the era of baseball, since modern athletes and analytics have the sport so optimized that it is harder than ever to produce.

His stuff and slugging ability, despite his sacrifices, are elite

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Dodgers Nation (@dodgersnation)

Shohei Ohtani’s hitting performance

After his season debut as a pitcher, Ohtani spoke about his hitting, which is still below his usual level. He is getting walked at a high rate, making good swing decisions, but he is not punishing hittable pitches like he usually does.

Despite his effectiveness, Ohtani was still quite critical of his hitting.

“I’ve been able to get on base, and that’s a good thing,” Ohtani said. “But on pitches that I should be making impact, I’m not quite able to do that to the extent that I should be able to. That’s the part that I’m not quite happy about.”

Ohtani is always chasing excellence, leading to him pushing all year long, one of the many aspects that make him great.

Los Angeles Dodgers closer Edwin Diaz had some issues with a wet mound in a rainy outing Tuesday, but manager Dave Roberts liked what he saw.

Diaz allowed the first two batters of the inning to reach base, one with a hit by pitch and the other with a full count walk, before allowing a one run single to break up the shutout a couple of batters later. He got a handle on the unfavorable conditions afterwards, though, striking out the next two batters swinging to earn the Dodgers a win.

After the game, Roberts made it clear the mound’s wet condition made an impact on Diaz’s performance.

“Big time,” Roberts said of the mound’s effect. “It was good to see him lock in once the hit-batsman, the walk. But I do think it affected him. The footing with the pitchers is everything. And then when you’re landing, you don’t trust that you’re not going to slide and potentially hurt yourself. So that matters. But it was good to see him lock back in.”

Diaz joined the Dodgers in the offseason on a three-year, $69 million deal, and has shown he’s worth his large contract early into the 2026 season.

The veteran right-hander has made three appearances for the Dodgers so far, striking out four batters in three innings. He has converted both of his save opportunities this season, and the run he allowed Tuesday is the only one to cross on his watch so far this season.

What Can the Dodgers Expect from Edwin Diaz?

Over the past decade, Diaz has established himself as one of the best closers in baseball.

He has a career 2.83 ERA through 523 appearances, and has struck out 843 batters through 522.1 innings pitched. The right-hander had a 1.63 ERA through 62 appearances with the New York Mets in 2025, proving he still has the ability to post All-Star numbers following a season-long injury which kept him out for all of 2023.

Diaz has recorded as many as 57 saves in a single season, and has a spectacular conversion rate throughout his career.

The Dodgers are sure to lean on him in the closer role following their late-season collapse last season, and will hope he can deliver for them as he has for more than 10 years.

How did the Dodgers Win on Tuesday?

While Diaz struggled towards the beginning of his outing Tuesday, the Dodgers built up plenty of cushion before he came in.

They took the lead in the bottom of the fourth through Andy Pages, who drove in Will Smith with a single—the Dodgers’ third of the inning. Max Muncy doubled the Dodgers’ lead in the bottom of the sixth with his first home run of the new season, and LA tagged the Guardians for two more runs in the bottom of the eighth with Pages and Teoscar Hernandez logging back-to-back RBI singles.

Are you confident Edwin Diaz will bounce back under normal circumstances?

Los Angeles Dodgers third baseman Max Muncy expects two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani to be in the mix for the NL Cy Young this season.

Ohtani made his first start of the 2026 season against the Cleveland Guardians on Tuesday, and made the most of his opportunity. He allowed a single hit through six innings of work, striking out six batters without allowing a run. Dating back to 2025’s regular season, Ohtani has a 22.2-inning scoreless streak—the longest of his MLB career.

Muncy said he expects the reigning MVP to be among the NL’s best pitchers this season.

“I expect nothing short of almost a Cy Young out of him,” Muncy said.

Muncy also contributed to the Dodgers’ win on Tuesday, hitting his first home run of the season and recording a two-hit performance.

Ohtani has been in the “almost” category for a Cy Young before, placing fourth in the American League’s Cy Young vote in 2022. He had a 2.33 ERA through 166 innings pitched that season.

If you ask his teammates, Ohtani want’s more than “almost” a Cy Young, though.

“He wants a Cy Young,” Dodgers catcher Dalton Rushing said in spring training. “He wants a Cy Young, and you can tell with the way he’s carrying himself here recently.”

When Did Shohei Ohtani Return to the Mound?

Ohtani made his first appearance as a pitcher for the Dodgers against the San Diego Padres on June 16, 2025, returning after more than a year of recovery from Tommy John surgery.

He pitched a single inning in that outing, allowing one run, and began building on the appearance throughout the year.

The right-hander made 14 pitching appearances for the Dodgers in 2025, logging 47 innings and striking out 62 batters. He had a 2.87 ERA—the second-best mark of any year in his career.

He also made four appearances for the Dodgers in the postseason, and while he wasn’t quite as successful in October, he still put together one of his best pitching performances of the season against the Milwaukee Brewers in the NLCS. In that game, Ohtani struck out 10 batters through six scoreless innings while also hitting three home runs on the other side of the ball to power himself to his first NLCS MVP award.

What are Shohei Ohtani’s Odds to Win the Cy Young?

After Ohtani’s start, FanGraphs’ Cy Young Projection formula has him at 4.6 Cy Young Points (CYP)—which ranks sixth in the national league behind Cristopher Sanchez, Sandy Alcantara, Randy Vasquez, Landon Roupp and Chris Sale.

Ohtani will need to string more of these performances together in order to contend for the award, and will look to do so as the Dodgers pursue their third consecutive World Series in 2026.

Do you think Shohei Ohtani will be able to contend for the Cy Young with his strict pitching schedule?

The Los Angeles Dodgers made their first trade of the 2026 regular season, adding a southpaw pitcher to their staff, which is made up mostly of righties.

The Dodgers are getting Jake Eder from the Washington Nationals in exchange for cash considerations.

The Nationals designated Eder for assignment on March 28 before he was dealt to the Dodgers in a similar fashion to how former lefty reliever Anthony Banda was traded to the Minnesota Twins after being DFA’d.

Eder has ping-ponged among multiple teams and organizations since 2021.

He got drafted by the Miami Marlins back in 2022 in the fourth round out of Vanderbilt before moving to the Chicago White Sox, where he made his MLB debut in 2024.

Shortly after, he moved to the Washington Nationals and then to the Los Angeles Angels in 2025, before returning to the Nationals heading into the 2026 season.

At 27, he has made only 9 appearances in the major leagues. He has pitched 20.1 innings, putting up a 4.87 ERA.

A 90 ERA+ and a 5.25 FIP indicate his ERA is actually worse relative to his metrics. His fastball velocity was 94.1 MPH in 2024 with the White Sox, falling to 93.2 with the Angels.

He has previously thrown a four-seamer, a cutter, a slider, a curveball, and a change-up, though more recently he has leaned on his fastball, slider, and change-up as a simpler combination.

Eder has been a starter throughout his time as a pro, only moving into a relief role more recently with the Angels, giving him the potential to be a swingman – a versatility the Dodgers tend to value.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Dodgers Nation (@dodgersnation)

What does the trade mean for the Dodgers?

As mentioned above, the Dodgers have a surplus of right-handed pitchers in the bullpen and in terms of organizational depth.

Eder gives the team a lefty pitcher, in a pinch for a specific matchup, with big-league experience who can potentially play at a replacement-level rate.

It cannot go unnoticed that the Dodgers tend to undervalue players of this caliber and see them develop in unforeseen ways, whether in terms of velocity, stuff, or effectiveness.

While it is possible that Eder ends up as just a depth piece, when the Dodgers make a move for a relative unknown pitcher, ears tend to perk up around the league.

Los Angeles Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani took the mound for the first time in the 2026 season Tuesday night, tossing six shutout innings against the Cleveland Guardians.

Ohtani, as fans know, is far more than just a pitcher. He’s a two-way unicorn, and he continued his regular role as designated hitter even while getting the start.

The rapid transition from defense to offense, though, created some time crunches, and cameras caught Ohtani changing his gear and quickly getting into gear for his next at-bat.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Dodgers Nation (@dodgersnation)

At one point, Ohtani appeared to briefly forget he was due to hit, heading to the bench before realizing he had to quickly put on his batting gear and prepare to hit.

How Did Shohei Ohtani Do in His First Start?

Ohtani didn’t give up his first — and only — hit until the fourth inning, a two-out double by first baseman Rhys Hoskins.

Hoskins, however, was left stranded at second after catcher Bo Naylor popped out in the next at-bat.

Outside of that hit, Ohtani struck out six batters and walked three, though he also hit a batter with a pitch.

Of his 87 pitches, 54 were strikes, and of the 23 batters he faced, he recorded strikes on the first pitch to 14 of them.

But most importantly, he left the mound as the Dodgers held a 1-0 lead that was augmented by Max Muncy’s solo home run in the bottom of the sixth inning, bringing the Boys in Blue’s advantage to 2-0.

What Does Shohei Ohtani Hope to Accomplish Pitching This Season?

Ohtani, with his multiple MVPs, back-to-back World Series titles and litany of other awards, doesn’t have much left to conquer in baseball outside of the top honor for pitchers, the Cy Young Award.

He’s finished fourth in Cy Young voting before, but this is his first season pitching full-time for the Dodgers. He didn’t pitch in 2024 and missed much of 2025 on the mound.

He will face stiff competition, though, from other National League hurlers, including teammate and fellow Japanese star Yoshinobu Yamamoto.

Do you think Ohtani or Yamamoto has a better chance at winning the Cy Young?

A wet night in Los Angeles proved no problem for the Dodgers and two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani as the Boys in Blue brought home a 4-1 win.

The victory came just 24 hours after the Guardians (3-3) gave the Dodgers (4-1) their first loss of the season.

Ohtani was dominant in his first start of the season, tossing six scoreless innings and allowing only one hit.

He struck out six batters and walked three, though he also hit a batter with a pitch.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Dodgers Nation (@dodgersnation)

Of his 87 pitches, 54 were strikes, and of the 23 batters he faced, he recorded strikes on the first pitch to 14 of them.

But most importantly, he left the mound as the Dodgers held a 1-0 lead, an advantage they pressed as the innings went on.

The Dodgers opened the scoring when Andy Pages singled in Will Smith in the fourth inning, a welcome change to the offensive struggles facing Dodgers sluggers thus far in 2026.

Smith’s run was augmented by Max Muncy’s solo home run in the bottom of the sixth inning and a spree of hits in the bottom of the eighth.

First, Teoscar Hernandez knocked in Freddie Freeman, then Pages struck again, knocking in Muncy for another score.

With two men on base and only one out, though, Miguel Rojas and Ohtani were unable to bring home any more runs.

Who Were the Stars of the Game?

Alongside Ohtani, Alex Vesia and Jack Dreyer tossed scoreless innings, and neither of them allowed a hit.

Star closer Edwin Diaz was the weakest pitcher, with two strikeouts against a walk and a hit, as well as an earned run.

Muncy, Hernandez and Pages paced the Dodgers offensively, each of them recording two hits.

What’s Up Next for the Dodgers?

The Boys in Blue face the Guardians once more in LA Wednesday, though this game will begin earlier.

First pitch is set for 5:20 p.m. Pacific Time.

After that, the Dodgers travel to Washington, D.C., to face the Nationals starting Friday morning Pacific Time.

For this final matchup with Cleveland, Yoshinobu Yamamoto is anticipated to get the start for the Dodgers. Gavin Williams is the anticipated starting pitcher for the Guardians.

Los Angeles Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani took the mound for the first time in the 2026 season Tuesday night, recording six innings of shutout ball against the Cleveland Guardians.

Ohtani didn’t give up his first — and only — hit until the fourth inning, a two-out double by first baseman Rhys Hoskins.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Dodgers Nation (@dodgersnation)

Hoskins, however, was left stranded at second after catcher Bo Naylor popped out in the next at-bat.

Outside of that hit, Ohtani struck out six batters and walked three, though he also hit a batter with a pitch.

Of his 87 pitches, 54 were strikes, and of the 23 batters he faced, he recorded strikes on the first pitch to 14 of them.

But most importantly, he left the mound as the Dodgers held a 1-0 lead that was augmented by Max Muncy’s solo home run in the bottom of the sixth inning, bringing the Boys in Blue’s advantage to 2-0.

After the game, Ohtani told SportsNet LA’s Kirsten Watson that the weather was indeed a factor.

“The mound was challenging with the weather, but it was still a solid experience for my first start, with so many left-handed hitters in the Guardians’ lineup, I let [catcher Will] Smith handle the pitch calling,” he said through a translator.

Much like Ohtani did to him, Smith deflected credit back to the superstar when he spoke with SNLA.

“I thought it was really good. He was mixing all his pitches effectively to retire batters. Six scoreless innings, right? It was a truly outstanding start,” he said.

How Did Shohei Ohtani Handle Pitching and Hitting?

Ohtani was dealing on the mound, but he also performed admirably at the plate.

While pitching, he was 0-for-1, though he was walked twice. Once he finished pitching, though, he hit a single in the seventh inning and struck out in the eighth.

Ohtani and other Dodgers stars have been off to a slow start at the plate in 2026, but the Japanese superstar had a better excuse than most.

He had to quickly change gear when he was due up at the plate.

At one point, Ohtani appeared to briefly forget he was due to hit, heading to the bench before realizing he had to don his gear and and prepare to hit.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Dodgers Nation (@dodgersnation)

What Does Shohei Ohtani Hope to Accomplish Pitching This Season?

Ohtani, with his multiple MVPs, back-to-back World Series titles and litany of other awards, doesn’t have much left to conquer in baseball outside of the top honor for pitchers, the Cy Young Award.

He’s finished fourth in Cy Young voting before, but this is his first season pitching full-time for the Dodgers. He didn’t pitch in 2024 and missed much of 2025 on the mound.

How do you think Shohei Ohtani pitched Tuesday night?

The Los Angeles Dodgers are reportedly considering making a change to their rotation just days into the season, with a new pitcher joining the mix.

Lefty Justin Wrobleski, who was leaned on during the 2025 postseason as a left-hander out of the bullpen, is someone whom the Dodgers are quite high on.

The Dodgers’ rotation is quite heavily right-handed, especially since Clayton Kershaw retired, and Wrobleski gives the team a different look depending on the matchups.

Also, there will be nights when the team plays consecutive games, and they need to give their arms additional rest, which will allow Wrobleski to enter the rotation.

According to manager Dave Roberts, Wrobleski is an option to start on April 8th, a day when the team would need to give the rotation an additional rest day, especially with Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto having notable wear on their bodies.

The Dodgers rode the rotation to a World Series title in 2025, leaning on their top-of-the-line arms while the bullpen struggled to be reliable.

Out of the desperation amid a run of injuries in the regular season, however, the Dodgers needed to turn to young arms who could offer life to a staff that needed it.

The Dodgers trust Wrobleski

Wrobleski served as a swing-man during the regular season, though he moved to a more regular bullpen role as a long relief pitcher in the postseason.

The southpaw became quite reliable in the playoffs, including a gutsy Game 7 performance to keep the team in the game. His postseason earned him the trust of the organization heading into the season.

“It’s great to see that the organization and Doc and everybody here trusts me in those big spots. It definitely gives you confidence moving forward,” Wrobleski said Thursday.

“Knowing that you can do it in the biggest spots makes it a little different going into the regular season. But I think at the end of the day, even those games, you try to treat everything the same.”

Wrobleski made his season debut on Monday against the Cleveland Guardians, coming in to a long-relief situation, throwing a total of four innings and allowing three runs.

He managed two strikeouts, one walk, and four hits, proving a bit shaky, but his strong Spring Training and postseason have solidified his spot on the major league roster for the time being.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Dodgers Nation (@dodgersnation)