Shohei Ohtani will play at Angel Stadium as a Dodger for the first time in the regular season Tuesday evening, exactly one year after his final game with the Angels.
"For me it's a special place," Ohtani said through his interpreter after going 2-for-4 with two walks, scoring twice and stealing three bases in Monday's 11-6 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks in Phoenix. "Obviously, I spent pretty much the most time there compared to other stadiums, and being able to spend the time playing in front of (Angels) fans.
"I spent a lot of time at Angel Stadium and obviously this year we already played against the team, so I'm just really looking forward to being able to spend some time at a ballpark that I spent most of my career at."
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Ohtani spent his first six major league seasons with the Angels before signing a 10-year, $700 million contract with the Dodgers in December.
Ohtani enters Tuesday's play second in Major League Baseball in home runs (44), stolen bases (46) and slugging percentage (.616), tied for second in extra-base hits (80), third in runs (109) and total bases (331), fourth in on- base plus slugging (.993) and fifth in RBIs (98).
Ohtani pitched his last game with the Angels on Aug. 23, 2023, when he pitched 1 1/3 innings against the Cincinnati Reds and was removed because of what was initially reported as arm fatigue. Ohtani was later diagnosed with an elbow injury that would require surgery and kept him from pitching in 2024.
Ohtani was 3-for-6 with one home run, four RBIs and three walks in two games against the Angels at Dodger Stadium June 21-22.
Ohtani will face Reid Detmers, a teammate from 2021-23, Tuesday. The left-hander will be making his first appearance with the Angels since June 1 when he allowed five runs and four hits in a 9-0 loss to the Seattle Mariners.
Detmers was optioned to the Angels' Triple-A Salt Lake City affiliate, where he was 6-6 with a 5.54 ERA in 14 starts. He was recalled by the Angels Sunday when the rosters were expanded to 28 players.
Detmers was 3-6 with a 6.14 ERA in 12 starts with the Angels before his demotion. The Angels are 5-7 in his 12 starts.
Detmers is 0-3 with a 7.58 ERA in four starts against the Dodgers.
Walker Buehler will make his fourth start for the Dodgers since returning from a rehabilitation assignment to their Triple-A Oklahoma City affiliate. The right-hander has no record and a 6.00 ERA since returning to the Dodgers. He is 1-4 with a 5.88 ERA for the season.
The Dodgers are 6-5 in Buehler's 11 starts.
The Dodgers and Angels split the two-game series in June. The Angels' 3-2, 10-inning victory snapped their 10-game losing streak against the Dodgers, the longest by either team in the series, which began in 1997.
The Angels lead the series, 74-72, including a 43-30 record in Anaheim.
The Dodgers (83-55) lead the National League West by five games over the San Diego Padres (79-61). They are 1 1/2-games ahead of the Philadelphia Phillies (81-56) in the race for the National League's and Major League Baseball's best record.
The Angels (57-80) are last in the five-team American League West, 17 1/2 games behind the division-leading Houston Astros and 17 games behind the Kansas City Royals in the race for the third and final American League wild- card berth.
The Angels will need to win nine of their final 25 games to avoid their worst record in their 64-season history, 65-95, in 1980.
The Dodgers' broadcast of the 6:38 p.m. game will be on SportsNet LA, while the Angels' broadcast will be on Bally Sports West.
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