Shohei Ohtani sets velocity record in third start with the Dodgers
In his third appearance as a Dodger, Ohtani blanked the opposition over two scoreless innings and set a new personal best.
Shohei Ohtani is easing his way back onto the mound following his second Tommy John surgery—and in his third start with the Los Angeles Dodgers, he looked every bit the reigning 2024 National League MVP.
Pitching the first two innings of Saturday’s game against the Kansas City Royals (4:10 p.m. EST), Ohtani kept the scoreboard clean, giving up no runs while flashing moments of pure brilliance.
He opened the game facing Jonathan India, who flied out on the fifth pitch of the at-bat. Next up, Bobby Witt Jr. lined a single on Ohtani’s very first offering. Things briefly got tense when Ohtani tried to keep the ball low against Maikel García, but instead issued a walk to the Venezuelan infielder. Still, the Japanese superstar bounced back—big time.
On a 101.7 mph fastball, the fastest pitch of his MLB career, Vinnie Pasquantino tapped a soft grounder into shallow right field. Hyeseong Kim charged, then fired to Mookie Betts, who turned a slick double play with Freddie Freeman to end the frame and preserve Ohtani’s shutout.
In the second inning, Shohei Ohtani stayed on the mound and faced Salvador Pérez—but the Royals catcher couldn’t solve his heat, thanks in part to a stellar grab in center field by Andy Pages. Next up was Jac Caglianone, who became Ohtani’s first strikeout victim of the afternoon. Then came Nick Loftin, who battled with a series of foul balls before popping one up that Dalton Rushing handled cleanly in foul territory.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts turned to the bullpen for the third inning, bringing in Ben Casparius with the game still locked at 0–0. Ohtani’s final stat line over two innings: 27 pitches, 20 strikes, one hit, one walk, and one strikeout. Notably, he topped 100 mph three times, signaling that his fastball is very much back in peak form.
Ohtani’s numbers
Ohtani has made three starts for the Dodgers so far, but he’s only logged a total of four complete innings on the mound. His ERA sits at a tidy 2.25, with the lone run coming in his outing against the San Diego Padres. Through those brief appearances, he’s recorded three strikeouts, while opposing hitters are managing just a .214 batting average
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