2025 NLDS: Shohei Ohtani’s next big moment — pitching in the postseason
by Cary Osborne
Time after time, Shohei Ohtani has met the moment.
A homer in his first-ever postseason game in 2024. A homer in his first 2025 postseason game. Examples aplenty in the regular season. Here’s another one — six no-hit innings as a pitcher against the Philadelphia Phillies on Sept. 16, and in the same game his 50th home run as a hitter.
Now he pitches for the first time in his postseason career, starting Game 1 of the National League Division Series in Philadelphia against the Phillies.
“I know that Sho will revel being in that environment and pitching in that game,” Dodger President of Baseball Operations Andrew Friedman said on Wednesday.
The superhuman two-way player gave a very human response to how he felt he would respond to the game.
“I’m sure I’ll be nervous at times,” Ohtani 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.”
Throughout the Wild Card Series, manager Dave Roberts was peppered with the question as to when Ohtani would pitch this postseason. If there had been a Game 3 in the Wild Card Series, he would have pitched in the win-or-go-home game. Instead, he gets the pressure cooker of a postseason Game 1 … on the road … in a hostile environment … against the Major League leading team in batting average and OPS in September. The Phillies also led the National League with 128 runs scored in the month.
On the Phillies, Ohtani said: “I’m sure there’s pros and cons on both sides as a pitcher and hitters facing me. Having the history provides a little more context. We’re going to find out tomorrow.”
On the environment: “They’re known to be very passionate fans. The atmosphere, I’m sure, is going to be passionate and rocking, as well. And one thing I do know is that they serve really good Phillies cheesesteaks at the clubhouse.”
Ohtani comes into this game with distance from the pitcher on a rehab progression. He completed six innings for the first time this season in Arizona on Sept.23. He completed five innings in three of his last four starts — the exception being Sept. 5 when Ohtani stepped in for Tyler Glasnow, who was scratched due to back soreness.
Ohtani has allowed one run in his last four starts in 19 2/3 innings. He struck out 27 batters and allowed 10 hits (just two extra-base hits).
The Phillies were in that group. One batter reached base against Ohtani — a Bryce Harper first-inning walk.
2025 NLDS: Shohei Ohtani’s next big moment — pitching in the postseason was originally published in Dodger Insider on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.