Dodgers two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani continues to rehab as a pitcher during games. His latest outing came Saturday evening in Dodger Stadium against the Astros, and he completed two innings with his biggest pitch count so far this season.
Ohtani threw 31 pitches (21 for strikes) in his two frames, striking out three and walking none. He allowed a leadoff single before getting a double play, facing the minimum of six hitters in his two innings.
The fastball was on point, sitting in the 98-100 range and his offspeed stuff was outstanding, particularly a heavy-breaking sweeper.
As a reminder, Ohtani is recovering from major elbow surgery, which he had in September 2023. Every other pitcher in Ohtani’s situation would be on a minor-league rehab assignment right now, but given the Dodgers need Ohtani’s bat in the lineup, he’s been kind of rehabbing on the fly as a pitcher while putting up MVP-caliber numbers as an offensive player.
This was Ohtani’s fourth start on the mound and he’s now worked six innings, posting a 1.50 ERA, 0.83 WHIP and six strikeouts against one walk.
The three-time MVP last pitched regularly in 2023, when he went 10-5 with a 3.14 ERA in 132 innings with the Angels.
