Shohei Ohtani throws one inning in first pitching appearance for Dodgers
LOS ANGELES — Shohei Ohtani's artistry is his ability to make the unthinkable seem normal. It should not be rational for the National League leader in home runs to toe the rubber and throw 100.2 mph, as he topped out at with his fastball on Monday night. His two-way play is the type of schoolyard dominance that leads others to speak of him with childlike reverence.
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What he is doing feels mind-boggling because it tests what conventional wisdom is as to what is possible on a major league baseball field.
The Los Angeles Dodgers could only watch from afar as Ohtani reached the peak of his two-way prowess in a stadium in the shadow of Disneyland. They've dreamed for years that the magic would come in their uniform. Monday night, over the course of one inning and 28 pitches against the San Diego Padres, they finally got to witness it.
At least, what it could be.
Almost 21 months have passed since Ohtani's right elbow was operated on a second time, and the path to getting to this point felt almost as long before hitting warp speed over the last 22 days. It's only been that long since Ohtani faced hitters for the first time since surgery. The decision to shift Ohtani's rehabilitation into big-league games feels unprecedented and was finalized within the last 24 to 48 hours, according to Dodgers general manager Brandon Gomes.
'There is no playbook for this,' Gomes said.
So Ohtani toed the rubber at 7:10 p.m. for his first pitching appearance in a Dodgers uniform. At 7:22 p.m., he completed his first inning, having allowed a pair of softly-hit singles and a run on a Manny Machado sacrifice fly. He flashed eye-popping stuff, even if he looked like someone pitching in a big league game for the first time in nearly two years.
By 7:24 p.m., the reigning National League MVP was stepping into the batter's box to lead off against Padres right-hander Dylan Cease, and struck out on seven pitches.
He didn't even have time to stop in the dugout; his gear was laid out for him on the dirt in front of it. Time is at a premium when you're trying to do it all.
'To watch this guy start and then take an at-bat, this is bananas,' Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said.
This story will be updated.
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