Shohei Ohtani’s long-awaited return to the mound was marketed as a major event-and the Los Angeles Dodgers delivered on hype, if not on substance. After nearly two years sidelined from pitching due to injury, Ohtani’s comeback was brief but headline-grabbing.
However, not everyone is sold on how the Dodgers framed it. Among the skeptics is former MLB president David Samson, who has accused the team of misleading fans about what they were really getting.
Ohtani pitched just one inning in his return on June 16, facing the San Diego Padres in a high-profile matchup. Though his stat line wasn’t dominant-one run allowed over 28 pitches-he touched 96 mph and looked sharp.
He also contributed offensively with two RBIs, once again displaying his rare two-way skillset. Yet the limited outing has fueled debate over whether the Dodgers oversold the moment.
Hype or honest comeback?
In a recent podcast episode, Samson criticized the Dodgers for what he described as marketing spin. “It’s great PR where you say Ohtani is starting for the Dodgers,” Samson said. “But I would’ve preferred truth in advertising-for them to say he’s opening.”
The distinction between a “start” and an “opener” is subtle, but in baseball, it matters. An opener is typically expected to pitch one or two innings-precisely what Ohtani did.
This nuance is central to the criticism. Many fans rushed to purchase tickets or tune in on MLB.TV expecting a traditional starting appearance. What they got was closer to a teaser-an exciting but limited glimpse of what may come.
Still, for most Dodgers supporters, the appearance was emotionally significant. After 663 days away from pitching, just seeing Ohtani on the mound was enough.
The Dodgers have remained largely unbothered by the backlash. Their strategy is clear: ease Ohtani back into pitching while maximizing media buzz and fan enthusiasm. With a 3.14 ERA and 167 strikeouts in 132 innings the last time he pitched a full season (2023), the upside of a healthy Ohtani is enormous. He may gradually transition from opener to rotation anchor.
There’s also a broader cultural impact. Teammate and fellow Japanese star Yoshinobu Yamamoto praised Ohtani’s return, calling it “so cool” on social media. The moment represented not just a personal triumph, but a symbolic lifting of the load for Japanese baseball’s biggest names abroad.
In the end, whether fans got a “start” or an “opener,” the Dodgers got what they wanted: attention, anticipation, and perhaps a spark for a postseason run. Ohtani’s return may not have been the full show yet-but the preview was enough to keep everyone watching.
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