CINCINNATI — The Los Angeles Dodgers’ standout player, Shohei Ohtani, is optimistic about his chances of making his next pitching appearance after a disruption Wednesday night due to cramping in his right hip.
Ohtani had been slated to pitch four innings against the Cincinnati Reds on a humid evening, but his stint ended abruptly without recording an out in the fourth inning. This occurred after throwing six consecutive balls, including a pair of wild pitches.
The 31-year-old reigning NL MVP revealed that the cramping started as early as the first inning.
“I tried to manage it. Everything seemed manageable until the third inning, but by the fourth, it wasn’t going smoothly,” Ohtani explained through an interpreter following the Dodgers’ 5-2 defeat.
Both Ohtani and Dodgers manager Dave Roberts attributed the cramping to the hot weather. The temperature at the start of the game was 90 degrees Fahrenheit (32 degrees Celsius) with a heat index nearing 100.
Roberts approached the mound with the trainer after Ohtani delivered an 86.3 mph sweeper that missed the strike zone to Spencer Steer. Following a quick discussion on the mound, Ohtani exited the game with the trainer.
“I noticed something unusual in his throw. The finish didn’t seem right, and it made me concerned because I wasn’t sure what caused it. He assured us it was his hip and related to the humidity, which relieved some of our concerns,” Roberts conveyed.
Despite leaving the mound, Ohtani stayed in the game as the designated hitter but finished 0 for 5, a day after striking out four times. His final at-bat resulted in a line drive caught by Reds’ center fielder Will Benson.
“I don’t play defense, which made it easier to stay in the game, but I wanted to contribute to our team’s win in this tight match,” Ohtani remarked.
This marked Ohtani’s seventh pitching appearance since undergoing Tommy John surgery on his right elbow after the 2023 season. He had not pitched during the previous season, his debut year with the Dodgers following a lucrative 10-year, $700 million contract. However, he excelled as a designated hitter, hitting 54 home runs and stealing 59 bases, earning his third MVP title.
Although the outing was cut short, it stood as Ohtani’s lengthiest pitching performance since his return. He threw 51 pitches, 32 of which were strikes, allowing two runs on five hits over three-plus innings. He amassed four strikeouts and conceded two walks.
“Today, my pitch count aligned with my anticipation, and despite the setbacks, it represents progress,” noted Ohtani, holding a 2.40 ERA over 15 innings. “Physically, I haven’t felt at my best these last couple of days.”
Ohtani has surrendered four runs, three in the first inning. He has faced 63 batters, striking out 17 and walking five.
In his initial six outings, Ohtani frequently utilized the fastball at 49%, followed by his sweeper at 25%. When facing the Reds, he significantly relied less on the fastball, opting for 14 fastballs and 29 sweepers. All the Reds’ swing-and-misses were delivered using the sweeper.
“The focus was more on maintaining throwing mechanics instead of changing pitch types,” Ohtani clarified.
Noelvi Marte commenced the Reds’ fourth inning with a single and ultimately reached third base due to two wild pitches tossed to Tyler Stephenson, who received a walk.
Upon delivering two balls to Steer, Anthony Banda took over for Ohtani, leading to a walk issued to Steer and a sacrifice fly from Will Benson, leveling the game at 2-all.
Assuming all is well, Ohtani is set to pitch again on August 6 against St. Louis at Dodger Stadium.
“We have a week until then, and it’s home, so humidity won’t be a factor,” Roberts mentioned.
Reflecting on his past encounters with the Reds on the pitching mound might resurrect some reluctance for Ohtani. Prior to this game, his last pitching experience against Cincinnati dated back to August 23, 2023, while playing for the Los Angeles Angels. That day also ended untimely in the second inning with a torn elbow ligament, necessitating his second Tommy John procedure.