Shohei Ohtani breaks silence after ‘very regrettable' start vs. Rockies
The Colorado Rockies teed off on Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani Wednesday. The reigning NL MVP made his 10th start of the season and allowed five runs on nine hits in four innings. It's the most hits the eighth-year veteran has surrendered in a game since September 10, 2021. And adding injury to insult, Ohtani also got nailed by a comebacker in the Dodgers' 8-3 loss.
Speaking after the game, Ohtani addressed his ugly outing in Colorado. 'It's very regrettable. Put the team in a bad spot. It was just a very regrettable outing that I wish I could have done better,' he said through an interpreter, per SportsNet LA.
The Rockies jumped out to an early 2-0 lead over LA before piling on in the fourth inning. With two on and one out, third baseman Orlando Arciao ripped an 88 mph slider off the Dodgers' pitcher. The liner caught Ohtani flush on the thigh. While he chased the ball down, he didn't have a play and another run scored. Ohtani then began limping back toward the mound as the Dodgers' training staff came out to check on him.
Shohei Ohtani, Dodgers roughed up by Rockies
The three-time MVP stayed in the game and finished the fourth inning. However, it would be his last on the mound.
Dave Roberts then decided to remove Ohtani from the contest after his at-bat in the fifth, noting his concern that the five-time All-Star's thigh could stiffen up after getting hit by the comebacker. Nonetheless, the Dodgers' manager was confident his two-way star would be able to play in the series opener against the San Diego Padres on Friday.
Ohtani also anticipates being ready to take the field in San Diego. 'Right now it feels pretty good. I'm going to do everything in my ability to make sure that it doesn't affect me moving forward,' he said.
'I'm glad that it didn't hit the knee. I think we avoided the worst case scenario,' Ohtani added.
After sweeping the Padres in LA and retaking control of the division, the Dodgers have lost two of three games to the Rockies. Los Angeles now has a one-game lead over San Diego in the NL West.
The Rockies, meanwhile, have won seven of their last nine games. After Wednesday's victory Colorado pulled within 35 games of the division-leading Dodgers.
Related: Dave Roberts struggles to explain Dodgers' Coors Field woes
Related: Shohei Ohtani's immediate outlook after removal from Dodgers-Rockies game
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New York Times
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- New York Times
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Wooldridge had a number of passes get tipped at the line and finished 10-of-20 for 82 yards. He had a number of throws behind his receiver, including one to Jaheim Bell that rookie TJ Moore picked off and returned 41 yards for a touchdown in the third quarter. It looks like the Patriots will go into the season with Drake Maye and Josh Dobbs as their QB depth chart. As a receiver, Baker didn't do much of anything. At least nothing positive. He was hit with a 10-yard OPI in the third quarter, and didn't catch either pass that went his way. One of those non-catches was on a ball Wooldridge threw behind Baker. But Baker did make some noise on special teams again, as he had a 23-yard kickoff return and also drew a penalty as the team's gunner. His contributions on special teams may have saved Baker come cut-down day, but it feels like a toss-up now. The rookie was the only kicker Vrabel sent out on Thursday. He missed his first field goal attempt from 49 yards wide right in the first quarter, but then connected on a 30-yard chip shot in the second quarter. Borregales hit his only extra-point attempt on the evening. "He's hitting the ball OK. We expect him to make those kicks," Vrabel said after the game. "We'll have to see where this thing plays out. We have two kickers we have a lot of faith in." The fact he was drafted in the sixth round might give him the leg up on Parker Romo. But the kicker battle still feels like it could go either way. The offensive line in general was rough, given it was backups and third-stringers playing. But Strange played center after Ben Brown, and it didn't go great. He fumbled a snap with Wooldridge on one play. He was hit with a holding penalty on first-and-goal at the New York 1-yard line. He also had another high snap in the third quarter. The rookie corner was hit with two costly penalties. One negated a Patriots fumble recovery, and the other negated a fourth-down PBU by Kobee Minor. Somehow, the virtual measurements take longer to figure things out than the old fashioned chain gang. It feels like an added TV timeout, and it takes away the drama that comes with waiting for live humans to pull that chain. To Roger Goodell and the NFL: Please bring back the chain gang.
