Shohei Ohtani Will Pitch Sunday Against Nationals, 'Feels Good' After Debut
On Monday against the Padres, Shohei Ohtani pitched for the first time since August of 2023, when he was still with the Angels. That wasn't a one-and-done affair, either: Ohtani will next pitch for the Los Angeles Dodgers on Sunday against the Washington Nationals.
Ohtani came out of his pitching debut for the Los Angeles Dodgers in good order, even if he was his own worst critic. The two-way superstar from Japan gave up a run and a pair of two-strike hits in one inning of work Monday night against San Diego as he returned from right elbow surgery. It was his first outing since August 2023 with the Los Angeles Angels.
At the plate, the two-way star had two hits and two RBIs in the Dodgers' 6-3 win, including Los Angeles' first run of the game. "I think he's just a little fatigued but feels good," manager Dave Roberts said Tuesday.
Ohtani was in his usual leadoff spot as the designated hitter Tuesday night against the Padres. He'll likely throw a light bullpen in the next few days. Manager Dave Roberts had previously hinted that a start against the Nationals was possible. "It's kind of a week situation," he said, "but it's not like a hard and fast seven days."
The Dodgers open a six-game trip at Colorado on Tuesday, but it seems unlikely Ohtani would pitch in Denver's high altitude where the thin air reduces the movement of pitches, particularly fastballs and curveballs, and favors hitters. Pitching over the weekend, even if it hasn't been a full week, would allow Ohtani to avoid both missing a turn and the effects of Coors Field.
[Related: 'I Was Kinda Fanboying': The Ohtani Experience Is Back In Dodgers Pitching Debut]
As for how long Ohtani will pitch, the Dodgers have the option to add an inning in his next start or keep him at one. The decision will be made between the medical staff and Ohtani, Roberts said. Ohtani threw 28 pitches on Monday against the Padres, a sign that the Dodgers aren't being overly strict, even if they are being cautious with his usage at this stage.
Despite a pitching staff that has been decimated by injuries, the team is not putting pressure on their $700 million man.
In fact, it was Ohtani who told the Dodgers he wanted to test himself in a big league game rather than face hitters in simulated at-bats as he'd been doing over the last three weeks.
"This is a unique situation," Dodgers general manager Brandon Gomes said. "We have to make sure that we're also keeping one of our best hitters in the lineup. So much of it is the back and forth and how he's feeling and making sure that every step we've done along the way is just erring on the side of caution."
As for how Ohtani did in his self-imposed challenge? "Not quite happy with the results overall," he said through a translator. "But I think the biggest takeaway for me is that I feel good enough to be able to go out for my next outing."
While just 16 of his 28 pitches were for strikes, his fastball topped out at 100.2 mph — the second-hardest pitch thrown by a Dodgers hurler this season.
"What I noticed is that when I warm up to pitch in the game, I'm already really warmed up going into the game," he said. "So I did feel a lot better overall than when I'm just DHing."
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