Shohei Ohtani's return to mound dominates MLB.TV with record viewership
Image Source: Getty
Shohei Ohtani made his long-awaited return to the mound for the Los Angeles Dodgers on Monday night at Dodger Stadium, the first time since undergoing second Tommy John surgery in August 2023.
In only one inning of pitching, he reawakened a buzz across all of Major League Baseball and led to streaming records via MLB.TV. The game attracted the largest viewership mark in the history of the platform, up 28% on the previous record. With another strong outing as both a pitcher and batter, Ohtani has further established himself as baseball's most exciting two-way player.
Shohei Ohtani reaches triple-digit heat in first inning back
Ohtani, returning as an "opener" with a strict pitch count, threw 28 pitches in the first inning, including a fastball that was clocked at 100.2 mph.
He surrendered two hits and one run on his way out of the game. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts clarified that this managed outing is part of a broader plan to help Ohtani slowly transition back into a normal routine for pitching. The team envisions him pitching about once every seven days as he continues to juggle his duties on the mound with his responsibilities at the plate.
Ohtani's velocity on the mound brought out some oohs and aahs from the crowd and from fans around the world on Friday, as he showed command.
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His appearance, though brief, was an important step in his rehab process and provided an insight into how the Dodgers intended to utilize his pitching arm without putting him back on the shelf.
Record-breaking viewership and offensive dominance
Shohei Ohtani may not have pitched long, but Ohtani made his impact. But Monday night's game between the Dodgers and Padres turned into the highest-rated game in all of MLB.TV history. Ohtani experienced a 28% growth in day-one sales (relative to the previous record) that highlighted both Ohtani's global popularity as well as the allure of the loaded Dodgers roster.
Also Read:
Shohei Ohtani touches 100 mph in electric 2025 pitching debut for Dodgers
On the offensive end, Ohtani had another great showing. Including a run-scoring double and an RBI single during the Dodgers' 6–3 victory against the Padres, it was the five-run fourth, a late-game barrage, that confirmed the win for the Dodgers, but Ohtani had already provided the early boost to take his team ahead and into the proper momentum.
Ohtani is once again making a case for MVP, hitting .290 with 25 bombs and 11 stolen bases. That has the Dodgers' production this season, and they also lost the pump. Hopefully, his return to the mound will help not only the Dodgers but also the excitement in a league over a once-a-generation talent who keeps pushing the envelope of what is possible in baseball.
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