In the Dodgers ’ 6-3 win against the San Diego Padres on Monday, Ohtani made his long-awaited return as a pitcher from a September 2023 Tommy John operation, taking the mound in a Dodgers uniform for the first time as the club’s starter while also continuing to serve as their leadoff hitter in the lineup.

"Yeah, it changed quite a bit," Ohtani told the Japanese media, according to a translation from DodgersBeat. "My arm slot dropped, and that was mainly due to better coordination with my lower body. At this stage, we felt that lowering the angle would give us the best results, so it happened naturally."