Ohtani Shines in Dual Role as Pitcher and Cover Star
The morning kicked off with photo shoots, cameras flashing and cover stories in the works. But by the afternoon, it was all about the pitcher’s mound.
Shohei Ohtani graced the April cover of Sports Illustrated, standing alongside Aaron Judge. Dressed in suits, they looked like royalty in the baseball world, highlighted under the title “Super Powered.”
A few hours later, the glamour faded—at least, the tailored suits did—yet the spotlight remained bright.
Ohtani made his pitching debut for the 2026 Cactus League on Wednesday, taking on the San Francisco Giants. He dazzled by throwing 61 pitches across four scoreless innings, making a significant impact.
Though he didn’t manage a hit in this outing, Ohtani is scheduled to take the designated hitter spot in the lineup on Friday, according to Dodgers manager Dave Roberts.
The enthusiasm around Ohtani and Judge is palpable; they represent a “new golden age of baseball.” With seven MVP awards between them, their potential to dominate games, as Ohtani did during the National League Championship Series against the Milwaukee Brewers, is something fans are eager to watch.
It seems we’re not just experiencing a golden age, but perhaps the beginning of an entirely new era for baseball, one that has truly become a global sport, thanks in large part to Ohtani.
Looking ahead, Roberts confirmed that Ohtani will pitch again during the Freeway Series, with his regular season debut against the Cleveland Guardians set for the end of March or early April at Dodger Stadium.
