Shohei Ohtani’s return to the mound at Angel Stadium wasn’t just another start on the calendar — it was a collision of past and present, played out under the familiar orange glow of a Southern California summer night.

The Los Angeles Dodgers have controlled the NL West for much of the season, but entering Wednesday’s night game against the Los Angeles Angels, they had slipped to second place, with their recent skid opening the door for the San Diego Padres to re-enter the race.