Los Angeles Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani smiles towards the Cleveland Guardians dugout during the first inning of a baseball game in Los Angeles, Tuesday, March 31, 2026. (AP Photo/Kyusung Gong)

LOS ANGELES — Shohei Ohtani got started on his bid to win a Cy Young Award — just about the only major prize to elude him — with six shutout innings for the Los Angeles Dodgers in his first outing on the mound this season.

At the plate, the two-way superstar went 1 for 3 with two walks and a strikeout Tuesday night in a rainy 4-1 win over the Cleveland Guardians.

The Dodgers have been waiting to see a full-time, two-way version of Ohtani since he joined them on a $700 million, 10-year deal before the 2024 season. He didn’t pitch that year while recovering from a second major elbow surgery in September 2023 while with the Los Angeles Angels.

Last season, the team took a methodical approach to his return to the mound. Ohtani was 1-1 with a 2.87 ERA and 62 strikeouts in 47 innings over 14 starts. His fastball averaged a career-high 98.4 mph.

“Last year, I felt good,” Ohtani said through a translator. “But this year I do feel a lot more loose and easy pitching overall. Looking back at today’s outing specifically, that wasn’t necessarily the case. So that’s something I want to work on. But compared to last season I felt more loose and easy.”

Ohtani was limited to two spring training starts for the Dodgers because he played — but didn’t pitch — for Japan in the World Baseball Classic.

Los Angeles manager Dave Roberts has noticed Ohtani is more critical of himself as a pitcher than a hitter.

“He’s never going to be satisfied,” Roberts said. “There’s always something that he can improve on or get better at and that’s what fuels him.”

Ohtani has thrown 22ª consecutive scoreless innings in the regular season, dating to Aug. 27, 2025, against Cincinnati — the longest shutout streak of his career. He bettered his previous high of 21ª innings set in June 2022 with the Angels.

“If he’s able to do it the whole year, that’s just a huge boost to our pitching staff,” third baseman Max Muncy said. “I expect nothing short of almost a Cy Young out of him.”

Almost?

“I think he’s got enough pressure already,” Muncy said, “but it doesn’t seem to faze him at all.”

Robo-ump ending

BALTIMORE — Samuel Basallo made a little history when the Baltimore catcher became the first major leaguer to end a game with a successful challenge via the Automated Ball-Strike System.

Albert Suarez was on the mound for the Orioles in the top of the ninth inning against Texas when his 1-2 pitch to Evan Carter with two outs was called a ball by plate umpire Manny Gonzalez. Basallo challenged, the replay showed most of the ball catching the upper outside corner of the strike zone, and Baltimore’s 8-3 win was in the books.

Alcantara sparkles

MIAMI — Sandy Alcantara never stopped believing in himself.

Not when Tommy John surgery robbed him of the 2024 season. Not when 2025 ended in a disappointing 11-12 record, and a 5.36 ERA.

Instead, he kept the faith.

Alcantara threw the first complete game of the MLB season in a 93-pitch shutout on Wednesday, leading the Miami Marlins to a 10-0 domination of the Chicago White Sox.

It was Alcantara’s second career shutout with fewer than 100 pitches, known as a “Maddux” in honor of Hall of Famer Greg Maddux. Alcantara also threw his 13th career complete game and fifth shutout.