LOS ANGELES (AFP) — Japanese superstar Shohei Ohtani makes his Major League Baseball (MLB) playoff debut on Saturday as the Los Angeles Dodgers launch their post-season campaign against the San Diego Padres.

The Southern California showdown tops MLB’s best-of-five division series playoff matchups, which also include Detroit against Cleveland, the New York Yankees facing Kansas City and the New York Mets against Philadelphia.

“This is what everyone wanted to see,” San Diego Padres third baseman and former Dodger star Manny Machado said.

Ohtani, who played for the Los Angeles Angels and missed the playoffs in his first six MLB seasons, sparked the Dodgers to an MLB-best 98-64 record this season.

The 30-year-old signed a US sports record 10-year free agent deal worth $700 million with the Dodgers last December and in the 2024 season hit .310 with a National League-best 54 home runs and league-high 130 runs batted in while also stealing 59 bases.

Ohtani became the first player in MLB history with 50 homers and 50 stolen bases in the same season.

“I am honored to be in this club and play with this team,” Ohtani posted on Instagram. “Bringing the energy to the post-season.”

Ohtani, who also pitches, has not thrown for the Dodgers all season after right elbow surgery in September 2023 and Dodgers general manager Brandon Gomes made it clear that won’t change in the playoffs.

“We don’t anticipate him pitching in the post-season,” Gomes said.

The Dodgers won the 2020 World Series for their first MLB crown since 1988 but, while seeking a second crown in three seasons, lost to the Padres in the 2022 division series.

“Obviously, the post-season matchup a couple years ago makes it a bit bigger for us,” said Dodgers relief pitcher Evan Phillips.

“This time around, we definitely want to get them back.”

The Padres, who went 43-19 for the MLB’s best record down the stretch, beat the Dodgers in eight of 13 meetings this year even though Los Angeles won the NL West over San Diego by five games for an 11th divisional crown in 12 seasons.

“We wouldn’t want it any other way,” Padres manager Mike Shildt said.

“It’s going to be a wonderful series. We’re super excited about it.”

“I wanted San Diego just because of the adrenaline and the intensity, the history of these two teams,” Dodgers outfielder Teoscar Hernández said.

“This is the best scenario for not only us but the whole baseball world.”