Shohei Ohtani will be on the mound Monday night for the first time as a member of the Los Angeles Dodgers, and fans are flocking to Dodger Stadium to see him pitch.
On Sunday night, the Dodgers announced that the reigning National League MVP would be making his first pitching appearance since August 2023, when Ohtani sustained a torn ulnar collateral ligament while pitching for the Los Angeles Angels. The superstar two-way player signed with the Dodgers in the ensuing offseason but spent the 2024 season playing exclusively as a designated hitter.
Unsurprisingly, the interest in seeing Ohtani pitch is massive among fans of the reigning World Series champions. According to VividSeats, web traffic to the Dodgers’ page on the company’s website surged 141% overnight.
Shohei Ohtani will be the starting pitcher for the Los Angeles Dodgers tomorrow night against the San Diego Padres.
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) June 16, 2025
The average listed ticket price jumped from $129 to $294, reflecting a 128% spike in demand. Per VividSeats, the average ticket price for Ohtani’s previous start in 2023 was $55 — the current get-in price for Monday’s matchup is more than twice that amount at $111.
Dodgers fans won’t get to see Ohtani pitch for long in his return, though. He’s not expected to throw more than two innings.