Ippei Mizuhara reported to federal prison on Monday to begin his 5-year sentence, as Shohei Ohtani made his long-awaited return to pitching.

The Los Angeles Dodgers and San Diego Padres played Monday night for a fourth time since June 9, but the series opener at Dodger Stadium had extra buzz due to Shohei Ohtani starting the game as a pitcher.

MLB Announces Shohei Ohtani Update Before Return to Mound originally appeared on Athlon Sports.

Shohei Ohtani made his highly anticipated return to the mound, and his first-ever appearance for the Dodgers on Monday against the Padres.

Fanatics has launched the latest release from the Ohtani Signature Collection, featuring a monthly drop of limited-edition memorabilia from the Dodgers' star.

Shohei Ohtani (the pitcher) is back, while Shohei Ohtani (the hitter) continues to rake. Ohtani last pitched in 2023 before undergoing Tommy John surgery. Between starts, all he did was hit 54 home runs,

One aspect that works in the Dodgers' favor here: Ohtani's two-way player status. He doesn't count against Los Angeles' 13-pitcher roster limit, meaning that the Dodgers will be able to navigate his truncated appearances with a full support staff.

Even as the Dodgers are getting back Shohei Ohtani on the mound,  the banged-up Los Angeles pitching staff suffered another blow. The Dodgers announced Ohtani will start on Monday night against the Padres,