It was a night to remember at Citizens Bank Park as Shohei Ohtani took the mound for his much-anticipated postseason pitching debut in Game 1 of the Division Series against the Philadelphia Phillies. Fans from both sides packed the stadium, eager to witness history as one of baseball’s brightest stars took center stage on October 5, 2025 (Korea time). Ohtani, known for his two-way prowess, was tasked with setting the tone for his team in the high-pressure environment of playoff baseball, and he sure delivered a performance that’ll have folks talking for seasons to come.
Ohtani’s outing was nothing short of electrifying, even if the box score might not tell the whole story. Over six innings, he allowed just three hits and one walk while racking up nine strikeouts. His pitch count climbed to 89, but not before he showcased a dazzling array of pitches that left the Phillies’ lineup guessing more often than not. The radar gun flashed some eye-popping numbers, with Ohtani’s four-seam fastball topping out at a blistering 101.4 miles per hour and averaging an impressive 98.7 mph. Mixing in sliders, curves, sweepers, and splitters, he induced a whopping 23 swings and misses—good for a 48% miss rate on all swings. That’s the kind of stuff that makes hitters shake their heads on the way back to the dugout.
Despite that dominance, the second inning proved to be a stumbling block. It all started with a leadoff walk to Alec Bohm, followed by a solid single from Brandon Marsh. Suddenly, Ohtani found himself in a jam: runners on first and second with nobody out. The pressure ratcheted up as J.T. Realmuto stepped in. On a 1-0 count, Ohtani fired a 100.2 mph fastball—maybe a touch too honest—right down the middle. Realmuto didn’t miss, driving the ball to right-center. Both outfielders converged, but the ball split the gap, rolling all the way to the wall. Both Bohm and Marsh raced home as the Phillies’ crowd erupted. Some fans questioned whether right fielder Teoscar Hernandez could have made a better play. Was it a defensive lapse or just a perfectly placed hit? The debate will linger, but the scoreboard told the story: two runs in, nobody out.
The inning wasn’t over yet. With one out and a runner on third, Harrison Bader lofted a sacrifice fly, bringing Realmuto home for the third run of the frame. Ohtani, who had looked almost untouchable to that point, suddenly found himself behind early in his postseason debut. Still, he didn’t let the moment get the better of him. From the third inning on, Ohtani settled in, pounding the strike zone and keeping the Phillies’ bats quiet.
The fifth inning brought another test. Ohtani plunked Bader and then surrendered a sharp single to Bryson Stott. With one out and runners on first and second, the Phillies were threatening to break things open. But Ohtani dug deep, facing the top of the order for the third time. He got Trey Turner to line out sharply to shortstop, and then struck out Kyle Schwarber swinging. Crisis averted, the crowd exhaled, and Ohtani walked off the mound with his team still within striking distance.
All the while, the bats in Ohtani’s dugout were searching for answers against a tough Phillies pitching staff. It wasn’t until the top of the sixth inning that they finally broke through. With two outs and runners on first and second, Kike Hernandez stepped up and delivered a clutch two-run double to left field, slicing the Phillies’ lead and injecting new life into the dugout. The momentum shifted, and you could feel the energy building.
Then came the seventh inning, and with it, a shot at redemption for Teoscar Hernandez. After his earlier defensive miscue, Hernandez came to the plate and launched a dramatic three-run home run, flipping the script and putting his team ahead. The visiting fans roared, and suddenly Ohtani—who had been in line for a tough-luck loss—was now in position to become the winning pitcher. Talk about a turnaround!
With his job done, Ohtani handed the ball over to Tyler Glasnow in the bottom of the seventh. The bullpen would take it from there, tasked with preserving the hard-fought lead in a game that had already seen its share of swings, both literal and figurative. As the night wore on, the tension remained thick, with every pitch and every at-bat carrying postseason weight.
Major League Baseball’s postseason is a global spectacle, and this year is no exception. The 2025 Division Series, presented by Booking.com, kicked off on October 4 under a best-of-five format. National League Division Series games are airing on TNT Sports platforms, while American League matchups are featured on FOX and FS1. Fans can catch all the action, with games also broadcast in Spanish on ESPN Deportes and Univision, and radio coverage provided by ESPN Radio. In fact, the 2025 postseason is being broadcast to 203 countries in 16 languages by 44 media partners—a testament to baseball’s worldwide appeal.
Looking ahead, the Division Series continue with a packed schedule: Yankees vs. Blue Jays and Tigers vs. Mariners on October 5, followed by Dodgers vs. Phillies and Cubs vs. Brewers on October 6. The League Championship Series and World Series are just around the corner, with dates and times already set. FOX, FS1, TBS, truTV, and HBO Max are all in the mix, ensuring that fans won’t miss a single pitch. And if you’re looking for in-depth analysis, MLB Network’s Emmy Award-winning studio shows have you covered throughout October.
Ohtani’s postseason debut will be dissected for days. His nine strikeouts, blazing fastball, and ability to bounce back after a tough inning showed why he’s one of the game’s true superstars. The only blemish was that rocky second inning, but even then, he kept his composure. The question about Teoscar Hernandez’s defense in right field will linger, but Hernandez more than made up for it with his bat. As for Ohtani, his mix of pitches and sheer velocity left the Phillies batters flailing—and his teammates responded when it mattered most.
With the Division Series just getting underway, the drama is far from over. Ohtani’s team has seized the early momentum, but the Phillies are sure to come out swinging in the games ahead. Fans everywhere, from Philadelphia to Tokyo and beyond, will be glued to their screens as the chase for the World Series title heats up. Stay tuned—October baseball never disappoints!
