PHILADELPHIA -- Shohei Ohtani has never taken the mound at Citizens Bank Park, let alone in a highly charged playoff game. But from his previous experience hitting at the Phillies' home ballpark, he knows to expect intensity from the crowd and a rocking atmosphere from start to finish.

And one more thing.

"One thing I do know," he said on Friday, through interpreter Will Ireton, "is that they serve really good Philly cheesesteaks at the clubhouse."

Ohtani is on the verge of checking off a big league first that has been a long time in the making -- his first postseason start as a pitcher . When he takes the mound against the Phillies in Game 1 of the NL Division Series on Saturday, he will become the first player in Major League history to start at least one game as a pitcher and at

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