Shohei Ohtani makes long-awaited pitching debut for Dodgers to mixed results
By Jacob Lev and Julia Andersen, CNN
(CNN) — It had been 663 days between pitching appearances, depriving baseball fans of the famed wicked four-seam fastball and splitter that they have marveled at from the sport’s most unique player. On Monday night in Los Angeles, with get-in ticket prices soaring, the time away from the mound reset to zero.
Los Angeles Dodgers two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani made his long-awaited return to the bump against division rivals San Diego Padres in front of his adoring home fans at Dodger Stadium.
The three-time MVP was welcomed back to the mound by not only cheering fans but two straight San Diego hits from Fernando Tatis Jr. and Luis Arraez to start the game. The Padres would score a run after a Manny Machado sacrifice fly.
Despite getting two strikes on the first four batters he faced, Ohtani struggled with control, needing 28 pitches to get through his one and only inning. He did hit 100 mph and show glimpses of why he previously dominated the position.
However, Ohtani didn’t waste any time continuing to show why he is essentially one of a kind at the bottom of the first inning. The Japanese star continued to be the focus of the game by immediately stepping up to the batter’s box to lead off the bottom of the inning. The crowd remained abuzz, knowing it was witnessing something special. Padres starting pitcher Dylan Cease had other plans getting Ohtani to swing and miss on a slider for the out.
Dodgers relief pitcher Anthony Banda replaced Ohtani to start the second inning.
Ohtani did make an impact in the bottom of the third inning that got the crowd on its feet. With a runner on third, Ohtani smacked a double to left center field, driving in Andy Pages to tie the game at one. Ohtani did a little dance on second while his teammates celebrated the RBI.
Despite owning a division-leading 43-29 record, it has been a challenging season for Dodger pitchers.
Currently, 14 different LA pitchers are on the injured list, including Tyler Glasnow and newly signed Roki Sasaki and Blake Snell.
A month following Ohtani’s last game from the rubber in August 2023 as a member of the crosstown Angels, he underwent a procedure to repair the right ulnar collateral ligament in his elbow. It was his second surgery on his right elbow. He then had a procedure on his left shoulder this past offseason, which made the Dodgers even more cautious with their record-breaking signing.
Every season seems to be a record season for Ohtani but 2024 really did take the cake. Before the season, he signed the then-reportedly largest contract in North American sports history when he penned a 10-year deal with the Dodgers. He then went on to become the first player to hit 50-plus home runs and steal 50-plus bases, set career-highs in batting average and home runs, was once again selected as an All-Star, won his first World Series ring and was unanimously voted the National League MVP (the third time he’s won unanimously). Ohtani remains the only player to win unanimously more than once.
This season has been no different at the plate, hitting .297 with 25 home runs and 41 RBI’s with 11 stolen bases coming into Monday’s game.
The right-handed pitcher had a career 3.01 ERA before his pitching layoff.
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