Ohtani Shines on the Mound and at the Plate in Dodgers’ Win
In a thrilling display of his unique talent, Shohei Ohtani took another important step forward in his return to pitching, throwing a hitless inning while also proving once again why he’s a superstar at the plate. The Dodgers’ two-way ace dazzled fans not just with his pitching prowess but also with a show-stopping performance that included driving in five runs to lead his team to a 13-7 victory over the Washington Nationals.
On the mound, Ohtani delivered a solid outing during his second start for Los Angeles, allowing only a single baserunner due to an error while recording two strikeouts. He fired off 18 pitches, 12 of which were strikes, and while he did throw a wild pitch, his fastball was clocked at a peak of 98.8 mph. This marked a slight dip from his first outing where he touched 100 mph, but Dodgers manager Dave Roberts was pleased with Ohtani’s progression. “He was considerably better today,” Roberts noted, highlighting the improved life on Ohtani’s fastball and his command of pitches.
Returning to the mound is clearly a cautious journey for Ohtani after a season of recovery from arm surgery, and he’s currently on a plan to gradually increase his workload. He expressed optimism about his performance, reflecting, “I do feel like I have to work on some things… But at the same time, I do feel like I can perform better, even better than I used to be able to perform at.” Both he and Roberts acknowledged that there’s no strict timeline for ramping up his pitching efforts, but confidence seems to be building.
While Ohtani’s mound work is noteworthy, his prowess at the plate cannot be overlooked. After a rough stretch where he went 4 for 23 with 11 strikeouts over his last six games, Ohtani exploded offensively in this game. He started by drawing a walk and scoring on Max Muncy’s grand slam, but the highlight was his breathtaking three-run triple in the seventh inning—an unforgettable ground ball that flew at 101.3 mph deep into the right field corner. He capped off his stellar night with his NL-leading 26th home run, adding a two-run blast in the eighth.
Roberts observed the importance of Ohtani’s offensive production, especially in light of questions surrounding how his pitching impacts his batting. “Hopefully it quiets the noise a little bit,” he said, offering reassurance to those concerned about Ohtani’s dual-role performance.
As the Dodgers navigate the complexities of utilizing a player of Ohtani’s caliber, discussions have included potential adjustments to his batting order on days that he pitches. Although Ohtani has stated he enjoys hitting leadoff, there is consideration to move him down the order to relieve the immediate pressure of being the first batter after pitching an inning. That flexibility could play a crucial role in keeping him fresh and effective across both disciplines.
Having already made history as the first player in baseball to hit 50 home runs and steal 50 bases in a season, Ohtani continues to break new ground. Currently, he ranks third in the majors with a .996 OPS, although some of his other offensive stats have dipped slightly this season while he finds his footing in his dual role. Yet there’s a collective confidence within the Dodgers organization; they recognize the value of Ohtani’s arm in a season plagued by pitching injuries and are committed to supporting his unique dual-threat abilities.
With Ohtani looking to add more pitches and innings in the coming weeks, Dodgers fans can take heart. The combination of his talent on the mound and his explosive batting gives the team a formidable edge as they strive for success, making the rest of the league wary of what the spectacular Ohtani might accomplish next.
