Dodgers superstar dominates on the mound after Sports Illustrated cover reveal

The morning belonged to cameras, photoshoots, and cover stories. 

By the afternoon, it belonged to the mound.

Shohei Ohtani was revealed as the April cover of Sports Illustrated–posed beside Aaron Judge, both men dressed like baseball’s answer to royalty in suits underneath the headline: “Super Powered.”

Shohei Ohtani was revealed as the April cover of Sports Illustrated–posed beside Aaron Judge.

Hours later at Camelback Ranch, the illusion gave way to reality. The tailored suits were gone. The spotlight remained.

Ohtani made his 2026 Cactus League pitching debut against the San Francisco Giants on Wednesday. He dominated his rivals with 4 and 1 third scoreless innings on 61 pitches. 

Ohtani made his 2026 Cactus League pitching debut against the San Francisco Giants on Wednesday. AP

Ohtani did not hit in the game, but will be the DH in Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts lineup on Friday. 

Inside the cover story by Tom Verducci, Ohtani and Judge are leading a “new golden era of baseball.” That might be selling it short.

Ohtani and Judge have seven MVPs between them and the former can dominate you twice in the same night like he did in Game 4 of the National League Championship Series against the Milwaukee Brewers. 

That’s more than just a golden era. That’s the dawn of a new day for a sport that is now global because of Ohtani. 

Roberts said Ohtani is expected to pitch again in the Freeway Series, setting up his 2026 regular season debut at Dodger Stadium against the Cleveland Guardians somewhere between March 30 and April 1st.