It's 28% higher than before. Ohtani Power! Pitcher's return match sets record for most viewers ever, power to combine pitching and hitting

Jun 18, 2025

It's 28% higher than before. Ohtani Power! Pitcher's return match sets record for most viewers ever, power to combine pitching and hitting
LA Dodgers Shohei Ohtani starts against the San Diego Padres at Dodger Stadium on the 17th (Korea time) and sprays the ball vigorously. It was his first return to the mound in a year and 10 months. UPI Yonhap News



It's 28% higher than before. Ohtani Power! Pitcher's return match sets record for most viewers ever, power to combine pitching and hitting
Dodgers Ohtani hits a solo home run in the sixth inning against San Francisco on the 15th (Korea time). AP Yonhap News
LA Dodgers Shohei Ohtani's 'Expiration Power' is this much.

The first game in a year and 10 months that Ohtani took the mound was MLB.It set a record for the number of TV viewers.

MLB Communications said on its SNS on the 18th (Korea time) 'Last night's game between the Padres and Dodgers was MLB.It was recorded as the most-watched game in the history of television, and was announced that 28% more viewers watched the game than the previous record opening game between the New York Yankees and the Houston Astros in 2024.




Ohtani started the game against the San Diego Padres at Dodger Stadium on the 17th and allowed two hits and one run in one inning. Although he gave up the score, he threw a fastball of up to 100.2 miles, signaling that he could recreate the ace of his time with the Los Angeles Angels.

On this day, 53,207 full-capacity spectators entered Dodger Stadium and watched Ohtani's pitching as a combined pitching and hitting for the first time since moving to the Dodgers. It is the first time in about a year and 10 months, or 663 days, that Ohtani has taken the mound in a major league practice since Game 1 of the doubleheader against the Cincinnati Reds on August 24, 2023.

In addition, Ohtani, who took the batter's box as a leadoff, led the team to a 6-3 victory with two hits and two RBIs in four at-bats.




It is the 12th time in his life that Ohtani took charge of the leadoff in a game he started, and the first time since moving to the Dodgers. It is the third in NL history after New York Giants Jim Jones in 1901 and New York Giants Al Dark in 1953.

It's 28% higher than before. Ohtani Power! Pitcher's return match sets record for most viewers ever, power to combine pitching and hitting
Otani Shaohai is making his return to the mound against San Diego. UPI Yonhap News
It's 28% higher than before. Ohtani Power! Pitcher's return match sets record for most viewers ever, power to combine pitching and hitting
Otani became the fourth player in NL history to lead the lineup with a starter leading off. ImagesYonhap News
After the race, Ohtani said "Today's speed was up to 100 miles, and I wanted to know how he reacted to his physical condition immediately afterwards"I think I'll take the mound once a week from now on. I wish I could throw a longer inning to relieve the burden on the bullpen" he said.

Ohtani, who threw 28 pitches on the day, will make his second appearance against the Washington Nationals on the 23rd, and is expected to throw two innings based on 40 pitches. Considering that he needs to take the mound for the next three more games to reach the 70th and 80th pitches, he is expected to be able to play more than five innings only at the end of the first half.




As MLB.com expressed on Ohtani's return to the pitcher on the same day, the combined pitching and hitting means that he is back to normal Ohtani. He has had a spectacular career over the course of his career. However, to Dodgers and Dodgers fans, Ohtani's return as a perfect pitching and hitting duo is quite new and novel.





This article was translated by Naver AI translator.