It wasn't a perfect return to the mound for Shohei Ohtani, but the Dodgers feel good about what it meant for the two-way star.

After the Padres game, Ohtani, who signed a 10-year, $700 million contract with the Dodgers in 2023, said that he expects to see a gradual increase in his pitching usage going forward, as noted by Bill Plunkett of The Orange County Register.

Ohtani will serve as the Opener on Monday night as the Dodgers take on the San Diego Padres. It will be Ohtani's first-ever game on the mound for the Dodgers.