One thing was clear after Sunday’s Dodgers‘ game against the Royals: Shohei Ohtani, the pitcher, is definitely heating up. Taking the mound for just the third time, the two-way phenom delivered his most electric pitching performance yet in a Dodgers uniform. With raw power, sharp command, and a record-setting fastball, Ohtani reminded everyone exactly what he’s capable of. The 9-5 loss may sting, but Ohtani’s outing was a win in itself for the team. Now, all eyes are on how the Dodgers map out his return, and what’s next in this slow-burning comeback.
Ohtani only pitched one inning each in his first two starts, and there were doubts whether that would change anytime soon. But in just his third outing, he threw two scoreless innings and 27 pitches. And guess what? He unleashed the fastest pitch of his MLB career, a 101.7 mph fastball to the Royals’ Vinnie Pasquantino. Not only that, among those 27 pitches, 20 were strikes. It’s becoming more and more clear that the Cy Young-level pitcher is slowly rounding into form, just what the Dodgers desperately need now. Still, they’ll need to tread with caution. So, how are they going to move forward? ESPN’s Buster Olney definitely has an idea.
“It’s going to be slow. It’s a slow build-up, right? You think of him, it’s almost as if it’s the end of February and spring training, and each outing he’s going to add a little bit more, and he’s pitching once every six days. So his next outing, maybe he gets up to thirty-five pitches, maybe forty, maybe he gets up to three innings,” Olney said on ESPN’s SportsCenter. He also dished out where the team should focus.
“The most important thing for the Dodgers is that by the time they get to late August, September, October — that’s when they want Ohtani fully built up. Is Dave Roberts said to me, it’s house money if they can get by without Ohtani pitching at all, because of course, he doesn’t count against their quota of 13 pitchers on the roster,” he added.
Credit: Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times
He’s not wrong at all. Even as the two-way phenom builds his velocity into triple digits, the Dodgers shouldn’t rush him. And it’s clear Roberts doesn’t want to either, even with the rotation still in shambles. “Getting Shohei through two innings, throwing the ball the way he did, is certainly a positive,” Roberts said after the game. “I didn’t know it was 102 (mph). I just saw 100, so no, I didn’t expect that. Now I’m going to keep my fingers crossed that he feels good coming out of today,” he added.
Risking their best player is the last thing they want right now; they would need him to make a late-season impact. That’s why the Dodgers are more focused on giving Ohtani a solid foundation, throwing pitches here and there. But the three-time MVP sure looked more confident after his historic third outing.
Shohei Ohtani reflects on pitching progress
Shohei Ohtani is still figuring out what he can do on the mound, but it was evident that he was in control in his third start as a Dodger. Most notably, he attacked all seven batters with first-pitch strikes, setting the tone and keeping them on their heels. There’s no argument that this was a great outing for him. And dialing up a 101.7 mph fastball? That’s something, especially without a proper rehab assignment. Well, it is the unicorn we’re talking about.
“It’s something that I don’t think I would have been able to do in a live BP setting, so it’s nice to be able to hit this velo and see how my body reacts,” Ohtani told MLB.com’s Jackson Stone. “I felt pretty good about being able to come back and pitch well, especially considering when I first had the surgery — the second time through was a lot better in terms of recovery than the first time through. Just talking to the doctor, he was very confident that I was able to come back at full form,” he added.
For Ohtani, even making a few starts in the minor leagues was off the table; doing so would have taken the most powerful bat out of the Dodgers’ lineup. All he had were live BP sessions. So, he must continue this return slowly, listening closely to his body. But the good news? Compared to the 97 mph he threw in his first live BP at Citi Field, he has considerably built up his velocity. Now, all the Dodgers can do is hope he stays healthy, keeps building on the mound, and becomes the difference-maker they’ll need down the stretch.
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