On a memorable Monday evening in Los Angeles, Shohei Ohtani took to the mound for his highly anticipated pitching debut at Dodger Stadium. As the fans eagerly awaited his performance, Ohtani jogged off the pitcher's mound and leaned against the dugout railing. With an elbow guard and batting gloves strapped on, he was handed a towel to wipe the sweat from his brow. This moment marked the beginning of his quest to achieve what many in the baseball world deem impossible.
In his first outing, Ohtani pitched one inning, allowing a single run while striking out in his initial plate appearance as the designated hitter for the Los Angeles Dodgers. This appearance marked his first time hitting and pitching in a game since August 23, 2023, a significant milestone for the star player. Notably, Ohtani is approximately 21 months post his second ulnar collateral ligament repair, having faced hitters only three times before rejoining the Dodgers' rotation.
During his last session on the mound, which took place at Petco Park in San Diego the previous Tuesday, Ohtani pitched three simulated innings, throwing a total of 44 pitches. He communicated his preference to the Dodgers, expressing that facing hitters shortly before games and then cooling down before ramping up to hit later was more physically demanding than doing both concurrently. This led to his early return to pitching, showcasing his determination to contribute to the team.
In this initial outing, Ohtani effectively functioned as an opener, reaching impressive fastball speeds of 99.9 mph and 100.2 mph. However, he also experienced a few hiccups, including a wild pitch, utilizing 28 pitches to secure the first three outs of the game. The Padres' Fernando Tatis Jr. opened the inning with a bloop single, followed by Luis Arraez, who hit a line-drive single. Ohtani faced a challenging moment when he should have recorded a strikeout against Manny Machado, but first-base umpire Ryan Blakney ruled otherwise, leading to a sacrifice fly that scored the game’s first run.
Despite the challenges faced during his debut, Ohtani managed to induce groundouts from both Gavin Sheets and Xander Bogaerts, effectively closing out his pitching debut. The Dodgers remain optimistic that this performance is just the beginning of many more to come from Ohtani. The baseball community is keenly watching as he continues his journey back to full strength, hoping to defy expectations once again.
