Latest news with #KikéHernández
Yahoo
6 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Shohei Ohtani throws 29 pitches in 2nd live batting practice since elbow surgery
Los Angeles Dodgers' pitcher Shohei Ohtani throws to a live batter prior to a baseball game against the New York Yankees, Saturday, May 31, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill) Los Angeles Dodgers' pitcher Shohei Ohtani fields a hit ball while he was throwing to live batters practice prior to a baseball game against the New York Yankees, Saturday, May 31, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill) Los Angeles Dodgers' pitcher Shohei Ohtani throws to a live batter prior to a baseball game against the New York Yankees, Saturday, May 31, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill) Los Angeles Dodgers' pitcher Shohei Ohtani, left, chats with Kiké Hernández as he takes a break from throwing to live batters prior to a baseball game against the New York Yankees, Saturday, May 31, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill) Los Angeles Dodgers' pitcher Shohei Ohtani, center, throws live batting practice as pitching coach Mark Prior, second from left, watches prior to a baseball game against the New York Yankees, Saturday, May 31, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill) Los Angeles Dodgers' pitcher Shohei Ohtani, center, throws live batting practice as pitching coach Mark Prior, second from left, watches prior to a baseball game against the New York Yankees, Saturday, May 31, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill) Los Angeles Dodgers' pitcher Shohei Ohtani throws to a live batter prior to a baseball game against the New York Yankees, Saturday, May 31, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill) Los Angeles Dodgers' pitcher Shohei Ohtani fields a hit ball while he was throwing to live batters practice prior to a baseball game against the New York Yankees, Saturday, May 31, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill) Los Angeles Dodgers' pitcher Shohei Ohtani throws to a live batter prior to a baseball game against the New York Yankees, Saturday, May 31, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill) Los Angeles Dodgers' pitcher Shohei Ohtani, left, chats with Kiké Hernández as he takes a break from throwing to live batters prior to a baseball game against the New York Yankees, Saturday, May 31, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill) Los Angeles Dodgers' pitcher Shohei Ohtani, center, throws live batting practice as pitching coach Mark Prior, second from left, watches prior to a baseball game against the New York Yankees, Saturday, May 31, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill) LOS ANGELES (AP) — Shohei Ohtani checked off another step Saturday as he works toward making his pitching debut for the Los Angeles Dodgers. The two-way superstar faced hitters for the second time since elbow surgery, throwing 29 pitches at Dodger Stadium in a 25-minute session before the defending World Series champions played the New York Yankees. Ohtani threw 22 pitches in his first live batting practice last weekend in New York. Advertisement The stadium music was turned off and everyone from teammates to workers to media watched Ohtani. A Los Angeles Police Department helicopter flew noisily overhead. Freddie Freeman's 8-year-old son, Charlie, stood in the outfield holding his glove. Kiké Hernández sat cross-legged behind the mound. Ohtani threw to seven batters from Single-A Rancho Cucamonga in a simulated setting. He came out of it well, according to manager Dave Roberts. 'He's just using his entire arsenal, also with today doing the up-down, he's certainly well beyond where he was in spring (training),' Roberts said. Against his first batter, Ohtani fielded a grounder to the left of the mound and made throw to first where no one was. The second hitter laced a single to right. He gave up a few more singles. Advertisement Roberts looked on from third base and pitching coach Mark Prior stood behind the mound. Ohtani paused at times to talk to Prior. Roberts guessed the right-hander's velocity was 'somewhere in the mid-90s.' 'I think he would wishes his command would have been a little bit better,' Roberts said, 'but really positive day for sure.' Roberts said Ohtani could throw another two or possibly three innings next Saturday. The three-time MVP isn't expected to pitch in a major league game until after the All-Star break in mid-July. 'You still got to get to five or six innings, so we still got a ways to go,' Roberts said. Advertisement Ohtani was coming off a two-homer performance in the Dodgers' 8-5 series-opening win Friday night. He leads the majors with 22 homers. 'I think the thing that's most impressive is his ability to compartmentalize,' Roberts said. 'He's essentially doing the work of two players and still to go out there and perform on the offensive side is pretty remarkable.' Ohtani is recovering from surgery in September 2023, the second major operation on his right elbow since he arrived in the majors from Japan. He hasn't pitched in a big league game since Aug. 23, 2023, for the Los Angeles Angels. Ohtani is 38-19 with a 3.01 ERA and 608 strikeouts in 481 2/3 innings during five seasons as a big league pitcher. He had Tommy John surgery on his right elbow Oct. 1, 2018, and returned to a major league mound on July 26, 2020, though he was limited to just two starts during the pandemic-shortened season. He didn't speak with media after his session. ___ AP MLB:
New York Times
28-05-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Times
Michael Conforto found a good night amid a brutal start: ‘It'll all click'
CLEVELAND — The big screen in left field at Progressive Field in Cleveland measures 59 feet tall by 221 feet wide and doesn't give you much room to hide. Especially if you're struggling. When Michael Conforto of the Los Angeles Dodgers looked up at the massive jumbotron before his first at-bat on Tuesday, he saw a .162 batting average that was second-worst in the major leagues. Then he collected a hit in his first at-bat against the Guardians, scalding a groundball through the left side of the shift for a single. Advertisement A more encouraging sign came in the sixth inning. Conforto worked a full count against reliever Hunter Gaddis and got the fastball he wanted. He did not miss it. Conforto got the type of contact he was searching for, smoking a fly ball to center field that carried out over the wall for a solo shot that took a weight off his shoulders. He hadn't hit a home run since April 5. Conforto couldn't hide his smile as he rounded the bases and returned to the dugout. Kiké Hernández and Teoscar Hernández each showered him with sunflower seeds. 'To hit a ball hard and see it leave the park, it's kind of everything that we've been working on,' Conforto said after the Dodgers' 9-5 win in which he went 2-for-3 with a walk. He had reason to relax, which he was reminded of throughout his trot. 'I heard Kiké as soon as I hit the ball, screaming,' Conforto said. Instead of the bounce-back season he was hoping for, Conforto's numbers have taken a nosedive. He's remained in the lineup nonetheless, a byproduct of the organization's $17 million investment in Conforto and the former All-Star's track record. He's produced at least a league-average offensive output by OPS+ in every season since 2016. Now, he's been one of the least productive full-time hitters in the sport. At some point, the production has to meet the expectations. Even the Dodgers acknowledge that obvious point. 'There's a point, yeah,' Roberts said. 'Production certainly warrants opportunity. I do feel his track record has given him a longer least, which he has earned.' So Conforto was in the lineup again on Tuesday, hitting seventh as he looks to get his season going again. His year started brilliantly: Conforto collected eight hits in his first 26 at-bats, with a pair of home runs and four doubles. Roberts' preseason optimism for Conforto appeared warranted. The slugger's batting line has cratered ever since. Advertisement 'Sometimes this game can be brutal,' Conforto said. The Dodgers have praised Conforto's work and repeatedly stressed how impressed they've been with how the 32-year-old has handled his struggles. That hasn't helped him crawl out of his nadir. As confounding as anything is that Conforto has actually hit the ball hard. His average exit velocity (90.6 mph) and hard-hit rate (46.5 percent) are his highest since his rookie season in 2015. But too many of those hard-hit balls have been pulled and on the ground, or hit the other way in the air. Just 13.9 percent of his batted balls have been pulled in the air, the lowest of his career, and hardly good enough to maximize that contact. It explains why Conforto's expected metrics, like expected batting average (.210), still aren't all that high. That comes down to Conforto's bat path, a particular point of emphasis with the team's hitting coaches as they work with the veteran. Roberts said baseball rewards a good swing with a good bat path at a good pitch to hit. 'That's what I believe,' he said. 'So when you don't have a good bat path, players seem to be where you're hitting them. There's a reason Freddie (Freeman) has thrown out 2,300 hits and guys like Derek Jeter have 3,000 hits. I think they've had good bat paths. That's something I think that Michael's mindful of and just continuing to work through.' Dodgers hitting coach Aaron Bates noted that Conforto was 'cutting across' with his swing, not leaving him nearly enough time to make optimal contact. Conforto said he's seeking to take as many pitches as possible to work counts in the bottom of the order, but coaches have urged him to get more aggressive early in counts while emphasizing good pitch selection. They've also tweaked how Conforto makes contact, trying to get the barrel out in front and meet the ball earlier to make his hard contact have more impact. Things have improved of late. Advertisement 'I thought the swing looked much better,' Roberts said Tuesday. 'The bat stayed in the hitting zone much longer.' None of it translated into results until Tuesday. 'It's easy to say as a coach or another teammate or player, just trust your swing,' Bates said. 'It's harder when you're in the moment there.' Conforto said he's seen signs that something could be shifting. He noted a swing on Sunday night against the New York Mets, when he drove a curveball low and in from right-hander Max Kranick that he thought he'd normally swing over. Conforto pulled it in the air, and it left his bat at 99.5 mph. Juan Soto ran and leapt to track it down for an out. 'That's kind of just a flash of what I feel like is coming,' Conforto said. Eventually, he added, 'It'll all click, come together.' 'There have been a lot of things that have clicked, in a lot of the work we've been doing. It's kind of getting that to transfer onto the field.' Tuesday marked Conforto's fifth multi-hit game of the season. Three have come in the past 17 days. Conforto's still thinking that scoreboard will change. 'Even though the numbers you see up there are results, the results only come if you're focused and locked in on process,' Conforto said. 'It's definitely a part of the thing. But I've been doing it for a long time. Doesn't mean it gets any easier.' (Top photo of Michael Conforto: David Richard / Imagn Images)
Yahoo
18-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Angels spoil Clayton Kershaw's season debut in 11-9 victory over Dodgers
Los Angeles Dodgers' Kiké Hernández gestures as he heads to second after hitting a solo home run during the fourth inning of a baseball game against the Los Angeles Angels, Saturday, May 17, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill) Los Angeles Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani smiles toward the Los Angeles Angels dugout as he steps up to bat during the first inning of a baseball game Saturday, May 17, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill) Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Clayton Kershaw wipes his face after the top of the third inning of a baseball game against the Los Angeles Angels, Saturday, May 17, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill) Los Angeles Angels' Logan O'Hoppe, second from left, heads to first for a three-run home run as Los Angeles Dodgers relief pitcher Kirby Yates, left, and catcher Dalton Rushing watches during the seventh inning of a baseball game Saturday, May 17, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill) Los Angeles Angels' Logan O'Hoppe, hits a three-run home run as Los Angeles Dodgers catcher Dalton Rushing watches during the seventh inning of a baseball game Saturday, May 17, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill) Los Angeles Angels' Logan O'Hoppe, hits a three-run home run as Los Angeles Dodgers catcher Dalton Rushing watches during the seventh inning of a baseball game Saturday, May 17, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill) Los Angeles Dodgers' Kiké Hernández gestures as he heads to second after hitting a solo home run during the fourth inning of a baseball game against the Los Angeles Angels, Saturday, May 17, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill) Los Angeles Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani smiles toward the Los Angeles Angels dugout as he steps up to bat during the first inning of a baseball game Saturday, May 17, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill) Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Clayton Kershaw wipes his face after the top of the third inning of a baseball game against the Los Angeles Angels, Saturday, May 17, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill) Los Angeles Angels' Logan O'Hoppe, second from left, heads to first for a three-run home run as Los Angeles Dodgers relief pitcher Kirby Yates, left, and catcher Dalton Rushing watches during the seventh inning of a baseball game Saturday, May 17, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill) Los Angeles Angels' Logan O'Hoppe, hits a three-run home run as Los Angeles Dodgers catcher Dalton Rushing watches during the seventh inning of a baseball game Saturday, May 17, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill) LOS ANGELES (AP) — Logan O'Hoppe, Taylor Ward and Mathew Lugo homered and the Los Angeles Angels spoiled Clayton Kershaw's season debut, beating the Dodgers 11-9 on Saturday night to take the first two games of the three-game series. Kershaw allowed three runs and threw 38 pitches in the first inning. The three-time National League Cy Young Award winner lasted four innings, giving up five runs on five hits with three walks and two strikeouts. Advertisement Shoulder, toe and knee injuries limited him to seven games last season with multiple procedures delaying his 2025 debut. O'Hoppe had two hits with a career-high five RBIs. Reid Detmers (1-2) allowed a run in two innings, and Kenley Jansen had a four-out save against his former club, his eighth. Enrique Hernandez and Andy Pages homered for the Dodgers, and Freddie Freeman matched his season high with four hits. Kiké Hernández and Andy Pages homered for the Dodgers, and Freddie Freeman tied a season high with four hits. The Dodgers tied it at 3 in the first on a three-run homer from Pages. They took a 7-5 lead in a three-run sixth, when rookie Dalton Rushing had an RBI double and Michael Conforto scored on a wild pitch. Advertisement The Angels scored five runs in the seventh. Nolan Schanuel hit an RBI double and O'Hoppe launched a three-run homer to right field off Kirby Yates (3-2) for a 9-7 lead. Kevin Newman added an RBI single. The Dodgers pulled to 10-9 before Lugo homered in the ninth. Key moment O'Hoppe's three-run home run in the seventh was his 10th of the season and his fifth go-ahead hit of the season Ket stat By winning the first two games, the Angels took a three-game series at Dodger Stadium for the first time since June of 2012. Up next Dodgers RHP Tony Gonsolin (2-0, 2.81 ERA) was set to make his fourth start since returning from Tommy John surgery on Sunday. LHP Yusei Kikuchi (0-4, 3.72) is chasing his first win in his 10th start for the Angels. ___ AP MLB:
Yahoo
10-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Kiké Hernández's solo home run (6)
Kiké Hernández crushes a 437-foot solo home run to left field, trimming the Dodgers' deficit to 3-2 in the top of the 2nd inning
Washington Post
10-05-2025
- Sport
- Washington Post
Ohtani hits 3-run homer in 9th to cap Dodgers' wild comeback in 14-11 win over Diamondbacks
PHOENIX — Shohei Ohtani hit a three-run homer to cap a six-run ninth inning and the Los Angeles Dodgers rallied for a wild 14-11 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks on Friday night. The Dodgers trailed 11-8 entering the ninth inning after blowing an early five-run lead. Andy Pages and Kiké Hernández hit consecutive run-scoring doubles to open the ninth inning against Kevin Ginkel (0-1). Max Muncy tied it at 11-all with a run-scoring single and Ryan Thompson replaced Ginkel to face Ohtani.
