Latest news with #fastpitch
CNN
21 hours ago
- Sport
- CNN
Shohei Ohtani throws fastest pitch of MLB career in third mound start for Los Angeles Dodgers
Shohei Ohtani threw the fastest pitch of his MLB career on Saturday as he continued his return to the mound with two innings during the Los Angeles Dodgers' 9-5 defeat to the Kansas City Royals. Making just his third start as a pitcher for the Dodgers, Ohtani threw a fastball to Vinnie Pasquantino on an 0-2 count that clocked in at 101.7 mph and was grounded into a double play by the first baseman. The Japanese two-way superstar couldn't contain his smile as he walked back to the dugout. 'It's something that I don't think I would have been able to do in a live BP (batting practice) setting, so it's nice to be able to hit this velo and see how my body reacts,' he said afterward through interpreter Will Ireton, per '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,' added Ohtani, who did not pitch in his record-breaking debut season for the Dodgers last year after undergoing his second Tommy John surgery in 2023. 'Just talking to the doctor, he was very confident that I was able to come back at full form.' Ohtani's 101.7 mph was the Dodgers' fastest of the season and the franchise's second-fastest since the beginning of 2023. Four of the seven pitches which have clocked in at over 100 mph for the Dodgers this year were thrown by Ohtani on Saturday, according to 'There's a little bit of stress, and that's when you start seeing the hundreds and trying to bully guys,' said manager Dave Roberts, per 'And I still thought the sweeper was good, the sinker was good, but no one knows himself better than he does. And so, again, today I thought he was still in control, and it was still good to see triple digits.' While Saturday's pitch was the fastest of his MLB career, Ohtani has previously dialed it up to 102 mph for Team Japan during the 2023 World Baseball Classic. Remarkably, that pitch was also to Pasquantino. '(Ohtani) keeps doing that to me,' said the Royals man on Saturday, per 'I just saw the fastest pitches he's ever thrown in his career – two of them are against me. His two hardest throws. I need to talk to him.' The Japanese star allowed one hit to Bobby Witt Jr. and one walk to Maikel García during the first inning at Kauffman Stadium, before sending the Royals down one-two-three in the second. In total, he threw 27 pitches, 20 of which were strikes, and struck out one batter – Jac Caglianone. At the plate, he went 0-for-4 with three strikeouts. During his five seasons with the Los Angeles Angels, Ohtani had 86 starts on the mound, going 38-19 with an ERA 3.01.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Shohei Ohtani is sharp in two innings but Dodgers fall to Royals
Shohei Ohtani delivered the fastest pitch of his career — 101.7 mph — during the second inning against the Royals on Saturday in Kansas City. (Charlie Riedel / Associated Press) Three batters into his third start of the year on Saturday, Shohei Ohtani showed some brief frustration. With one out in the first inning — on a day he was trying to pitch into the second for the first time this year — Ohtani gave up a line drive single to Kansas City Royals star Bobby Witt Jr. Then, he walked Maikel Garcia on five pitches in the next at-bat, pulling four straight throws low and to the glove side to put two aboard. Advertisement As Ohtani received the ball back from catcher Dalton Rushing, he wore a stoic look, seemingly displeased with his lack of execution. But he climbed back atop the mound, stared down the plate as Vinnie Pasquantino dug in, and absolutely bullied the Royals first baseman with three straight pitches. A 99.2 mph fastball on the inside corner for strike one. A 100.2 mph fastball on the inside black for strike two. Read more: Why Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman have struggled at the plate lately for the Dodgers And then, a blistering 101.7 mph fastball — the hardest-thrown pitch of Ohtani's MLB career — that Pasquantino took a helpless hack at, grounding into a tailor-made, inning-ending double-play. Advertisement Just like that, Ohtani was locked back in. Though the Dodgers lost 9-5 to the Royals 9-5 on Saturday, Ohtani turned in his best pitching performance yet. After escaping the first-inning jam, he retired the side in the second. Over 27 pitches, he threw 20 strikes and got three swings-and-misses, including on a 100 mph fastball and late-biting slider to strike out Jac Caglianone in the second. Even over another small sample size, with Ohtani's workload still limited as he works his way back from a second Tommy John surgery, the right-hander flashed the dominant potential of his stuff, both lighting up the radar gun and unleashing a flurry of unhittable off-speed offerings in his most complete performance yet since resuming his two-way role. Things did not go well for the Dodgers (52-32) after Ohtani left the mound. Bulk man Ben Casparius gave up six runs in four innings, and now has a 7.82 ERA in his three outings piggybacking with Ohtani over the last three weeks. Advertisement He didn't get much help from his defense, either. In the third inning, Teoscar Hernández failed to get to a flare down the right-field line with two outs, extending the frame ahead of a two-run double from Witt in the next at-bat. Andy Pages also booted a ball in center field during a four-run rally from the Royals (39-44) in the fifth, a frame that was punctuated by a three-run, two-out homer from Pasquantino to center. The Dodgers' offense, meanwhile, never figured out crafty right-hander Seth Lugo, stranding all nine hitters who reached base against him (four hits and five walks) while striking out eight times. Even though Freddie Freeman snapped out of an extended slump with three hits, including a solo homer in the seventh inning, and two walks, the Dodgers never truly threatened to chip away at the lead until a four-run rally in the ninth, squandering a five-game winning streak to set up a series rubber match on Sunday. All of that, however, paled in comparison to the impressiveness of Ohtani's outing on the mound. Advertisement In his four innings so far this year, the 30-year-old has given up just one run and three hits. His fastball has routinely eclipsed 100 mph while his array of breaking stuff has kept opponents off balance. The Dodgers are still being careful with Ohtani's build-up, uncertain of when — or if — he will be fully stretched out for normal-length starts. But for now, the few innings he has contributed have been encouraging, quickly erasing any doubts about how his arm would respond from the second reconstructive elbow surgery of his career. Pitching injury updates It'll be a little while longer before the Dodgers get more pitching reinforcements from triple-A Oklahoma City. Advertisement On Saturday night, Tyler Glasnow gave up five runs on seven hits in his second rehab outing, but more consequentially managed only 2 ⅓ innings, well short of the four-inning goal the Dodgers had targeted for his start. Because of that, Roberts said Glasnow will likely need at least two more rehab starts before returning to the majors. He has been out since April because of a shoulder problem. Emmet Sheehan's next start will come in triple-A, Roberts said, even after the right-hander pitched six perfect innings with 13 strikeouts earlier this week. Sheehan returned from Tommy John surgery earlier this month with a solid four-inning start for the Dodgers, but was optioned ahead of this road trip to continue building up in Oklahoma City. Sheehan will be a candidate to return to the majors after his next outing, perhaps near the end of the Dodgers' upcoming homestand. Back in Los Angeles, Blake Snell (shoulder) and Blake Treinen (forearm) continued their progression of bullpen sessions on Saturday, and are getting closer to throwing live sessions against hitters. Roki Sasaki (shoulder) has also continued to play catch and, according to Roberts, is finally 'feeling really good' almost two months into his IL stint. Sign up for more Dodgers news with Dodgers Dugout. Delivered at the start of each series. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Yahoo
08-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Red Sox relief pitcher Aroldis Chapman throws 103.8 MPH, fastest pitch in MLB this season
Former Cincinnati Reds closer Aroldis Chapman threw the fastest pitch in Major League Baseball this season with a 103.8 mile-per-hour fastball during the 9th inning of the Boston Red Sox's 6-4 win Wednesday against the Texas Rangers. It also was the fastest pitch by a Boston Red Sox pitcher in the pitch tracking era (since 2008). Advertisement Chapman, who turned 37 in February, did allow a homer during the inning, but recorded his fifth save of the season. Aroldis Chapman of the Boston Red Sox Since playing his first six MLB seasons with the Reds, Chapman has pitched for the Chicago Cubs, New York Yankees, Kansas City Royals, Texas Rangers and Pittsburgh Pirates. This is his first season with the Red Sox. He has recorded 340 career saves in the regular season, including 146 as a Red. From Twitter/X via the official MLB account: This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Aroldis Chapman throws 103.8 MPH, fastest pitch in MLB this season
