Shohei Ohtani plays both ways: the numbers behind the Dodgers star’s pitching debut

Shohei Ohtani made his long-awaited return to the mound on Monday (June 16), but his pitching debut with the Los Angeles Dodgers was brief - just one inning of work.

Taking the ball for the first time since August 2023, when he was still with the Angels, Ohtani was met with a thunderous ovation from the crowd at Dodger Stadium as he started the opener of a four-game series against the San Diego Padres, which the Dodgers won 6-3.

Shohei Ohtani’s Dodgers pitching debut in numbers

The two-way superstar allowed one run on two hits and threw 28 pitches before handing things over to reliever Anthony Banda. It wasn’t a dominant outing, but fans were just happy to see Ohtani back in action as a pitcher after nearly a year away from the mound.

Of the Japanese’s 28 pitches, there were 16 strikes. Half of Ohtani’s pitches were recorded at 98 mph or above, while he reached 100.2 mph with his four-seamer, the Dodgers’ second-fastest pitch of the season.

Why didn’t Ohtani pitch for the Dodgers in 2024?

In December 2023, Ohtani signed a 10-year, $700 million contract with the Dodgers, which was the largest in professional sports at the time. However, it was quickly announced that the 30-year-old wouldn’t pitch in the 2024 season after he had suffered a UCL tear in his right elbow, which required surgery, in September 2023.

His return marks a key step in his recovery and could offer a glimpse of what’s to come as the Dodgers look to fully unlock Ohtani’s two-way potential in the seasons ahead.

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