Shohei Ohtani, Yoshinobu Yamamoto set to pitch vs. Blue Jays

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The Los Angeles Dodgers are scheduled to send both Japanese star pitchers to the mound against Blue Jays next week in Toronto.

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Published Apr 02, 2026 • 3 minute read

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From left: Los Angeles Dodgers’ Shohei Ohtani, Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Roki Sasaki celebrate after winning the World Series. AP PhotoArticle content

Too soon?

Rarely will a midweek series in early April be as wildly anticipated as the Los Angeles Dodgers’ return to the Rogers Centre for three games against the Blue Jays next week.

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And, as if the rematch of one of the most thrilling World Series in history isn’t compelling enough, it looks like the Dodgers will send out both Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Shohei Ohtani for starts.

That’s a stout pitching challenge in a three-game series that runs from Monday to Wednesday at the downtown Toronto dome, adding to the anticipation of a series that is sure to have an emotional reaction for the Jays fan base.

World Series MVP Yamamoto is slated to pitch either Monday or Tuesday, while Dodgers manager Dave Roberts has indicated that Ohtani will have the ball for the finale, a Wednesday matinee.

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The Blue Jays appear to be loading up their starting arsenal as well, a situation that was evident when manager John Schneider rolled out his rotation for the start of the season. If you wondering, for example, why Max Scherzer was the “fifth” starter in the Toronto order, all you really had to look to his second scheduled outing, which is expected to be Monday against the reigning champions.

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The 41-year-old veteran is projected to be followed by Kevin Gausman and Dylan Cease. Part of that is dependent on who replaces the injured Cody Ponce for the start on Sunday in Chicago, though some version of a bullpen day is a possibility.

How good is Yamamoto?

The Jays are well aware of the prowess of Yamamoto, who pitched 17.2 innings over three games in the Fall Classic, including 2.2 innings of scoreless relief in the heartbreaking Game 7 clincher. Earlier in the series, Yamamoto delivered nine complete innings in a Game 2 win and six innings of one-run ball in another victory in Game 6.

Ohtani may be the most compelling, however, as he is likely to make his second start of the season following a brilliant six shutout innings against Cleveland this week, allowing just one hit.

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A four-time MVP (twice with the Angels in the AL, two more with the Dodgers in the NL) Ohtani clearly seems to have designs on winning a Cy Young to truly entrench his status as a two-way superstar.

“That’s my intention every year, to be a better pitcher, better player,” Ohtani told reporters in Los Angeles after his first start of 2026 season. “I hope at the end of the year I can look back and say that was a really good pitching season.”

Can Ohtani contend for the Cy Young Award?

Getting into the Cy Young conversation won’t be easy, considering the Dodgers intend to space out his starts to every seventh day.

But, by all accounts, the Japanese star was dominant in his debut with a fastball touching 99 mph. He threw 87 pitches on Tuesday and reached base three times as the Dodgers leadoff hitter.

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Ohtani’s work on the mound was limited to 15 regular-season starts in 2025 as he was recovering from Tommy John surgery. While he won’t be overworked this season, he’ll be a more significant part of the Dodgers rotation.

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“His demeanour when he’s pitching is different than when he’s just hitting,” Roberts noted.

Given Ohtani’s competitive nature, he’ll feel like he has something to prove given that in his two starts against the Jays in the World Series, he went 0-1 with a 7.56 ERA.

The second outing was the Game 7 showdown when Ohtani lasted just 2.1 innings after now-former Jays star Bo Bichette belted a three-run homer in the third inning.

The Jays, who had an unscheduled off day in Chicago after Thursday’s game against the White Sox was postponed due to rain, will play down the significance of next week’s series, but that won’t dull the hype.

All three games figure to be sellouts at the Rogers Centre — a rarity for midweek games in April — and the series will get some serious national attention given the storylines.

As well, the left-field press box will be overflowing with Japanese media chronicling the first meeting between Ohtani and the Jays own Japanese slugger, third baseman Kazuma Okamoto.

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Shohei Ohtani, Yoshinobu Yamamoto set to pitch vs. Blue Jays

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