Shohei Ohtani has made his spring training debut in a Dodgers’ uniform. Next step, the real thing.
Los Angeles will be facing the Padres in Seoul, South Korea, in a two-game series starting Wednesday. While other teams continue their spring training gauntlets, the Dodgers and Padres will kick off their regular seasons across the globe for the first MLB games in South Korea.
Tyler Glasnow — who is also making his regular-season debut with the Dodgers — will get the nod for Los Angeles. He’ll face off against San Diego’s Yu Darvish.
But while there will be plenty of attention given to Glasnow, Darvish, Mookie Betts and Fernando Tatis Jr., there’s no doubt Ohtani, the $ 700 million man, will be at the center of the Seoul Series.
MORE: Watch Shohei Ohtani make Dodgers debut live with Fubo (free trial)
Ohtani won’t be on the mound as he continues to recover from offseason elbow surgery. But fans will still get to watch him take his at-bats as the designated hitter, where he’ll hit alongside Betts, Freddie Freeman and Will Smith.
Sporting News will be tracking all Ohtani’s plate appearances, as well as other updates from Wednesday’s game in Seoul. Follow for updates, highlights and scores from the early morning clash.
Shohei Ohtani stats
| AB | H | 2B | 3B | HR | BB | K | R | RBI | SB-CS |
| 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0-0 |
Dodgers vs. Padres live score, results, updates from 2024 Seoul game
(All times Eastern)
6:46 a.m.: Too easy for Ohtani. First pitch, he takes off and he steals second base easily.
6:45 a.m.: Ohtani lines a base hit into right for a 112.3 mph single. He’s got his first hit in a Dodger uniform.
Shohei Ohtani’s first hit as a Dodger!#SeoulSeries pic.twitter.com/tHaep5ZbPo
— MLB (@MLB) March 20, 2024
6:44 a.m.: Ohtani blasted a foul ball at 119.2 mph off the bat. That ball was annihilated. Unfortunately, it was too far to the right.
6:43 a.m.: Betts flies out to left, and Ohtani will bat with two out and no one on.
6:40 a.m.: Gavin Lux grounds out to first to start the frame. Betts due up.
6:38 a.m.: Ohtani will bat third in the top of the third inning for the Dodgers. So far, the bats have been cold to start off the season. Just one hit and two walks between the two sides.
6:26 a.m.: The first hit and stolen base of the 2024 season belong to Max Muncy. He had one steal in 2023 and has 13 in his entire eight-year MLB career.
6:15 a.m.: Will Smith flies out to left, and Ohtani will be stranded at first after his forceout.
6:14 a.m.: Freddie Freeman strikes out for the second out of the frame. Ohtani still at first.
6:12 a.m.: Ohtani hits a slow grounder to shortstop. The Padres get Betts at second, but the speed of Ohtani gets him safely to first.
Shohei Ohtani’s first official at-bat of his Dodgers career:
🎥: @SportsNetLA pic.twitter.com/ws49XEA30u
— Dodgers Nation (@DodgersNation) March 20, 2024
6:10 a.m.: Up and in to Ohtani to start the plate appearance.
6:10 a.m.: Pitch violation walk to Betts, and here comes Ohtani.
6:08 a.m.: The season begins with a ball outside, and the 2024 MLB season has begun.
6:07 a.m.: It’s just about time to get this thing underway. Mookie Betts is stepping into the box to face off against Padres ace Yu Darvish.
5:54 a.m.: Ohtani is introduced as part of the Dodgers’ lineup for the first time in a regular season game.
Sparkle sparkle ✨ Shohei entrance
pic.twitter.com/e8kYd7bQ9l— shobae 大谷翔平 ¹⁷ Ohtani Shohei ¹⁷ 🧘♀️ (@shoheisaveus) March 20, 2024
How to watch Shohei Ohtani’s Dodgers debut
- Date: Wednesday, March 20
- Start time: 6:05 a.m. ET | 3:05 a.m. PT
- TV channel: ESPN | SportsNet LA (Los Angeles) | Padres.TV (San Diego)
- Live stream: ESPN+ | MLB.TV | Fubo
Baseball fans are going to have to get up bright and early to catch the Seoul Series. Unless you live on the west coast, in which case it might just be easier to pull an all-nighter. The game will begin at 6:05 a.m. ET, or 3:05 a.m. PT.
The game will be carried nationally on ESPN with broadcasts locally on SportsNet LA and Padres.TV.
Those hoping to live stream the clash can find the game on ESPN+, MLB.TV or on Fubo, which offers a free trial.
Why isn’t Shohei Ohtani pitching?
Ohtani left a start Aug. 23 with arm fatigue. An evaluation of his right elbow discovered a UCL (ulnar collateral ligament) tear, ending his campaign on the mound. He had elbow surgery Sept. 19.
Due to the surgery, he will not pitch at all in 2024. It is his second time undergoing an elbow procedure, with the first having come in 2018 after he damaged his UCL on the mound.
Shohei Ohtani stats
Ohtani’s career is off to a historic start.Through the first six seasons of his MLB career, he has won a pair of MVPs, two Silver Sluggers, Rookie of the Year and been named to three All-Star teams.
Last season, he accumulated 10 Baseball Reference Wins Above Replacement (bWAR), giving him 34.7 bWAR for his career. That places him 26th among batters through their first six years, per Stathead, and 38th among pitchers.
Here’s a look at his batting stats through the first six seasons of his career:
| Year | Age | G | PA | R | HR | RBI | SB-SBA | BB% | K% | AVG/OBP/SLG |
| 2018 | 23 | 104 | 367 | 59 | 22 | 61 | 10-14 | 10.1% | 27.8% | .285/.361/.564 |
| 2019 | 24 | 106 | 425 | 51 | 18 | 62 | 12-15 | 7.8% | 25.9% | .286/.343/.505 |
| 2020 | 25 | 44 | 175 | 23 | 7 | 24 | 7-8 | 12.6% | 28.6% | .190/.291/.366 |
| 2021 | 26 | 155 | 639 | 103 | 46 | 100 | 26-36 | 15.0% | 29.6% | .257/.372/.592 |
| 2022 | 27 | 157 | 666 | 90 | 34 | 95 | 11-20 | 10.8% | 24.2% | .273/.356/.519 |
| 2023 | 28 | 135 | 599 | 102 | 44 | 95 | 20-26 | 15.2% | 23.9% | .304/.412/.654 |
| Career | — | 701 | 2871 | 428 | 171 | 437 | 86-119 | 12.2% | 26.3% | .274/.366/.556 |
