After a lengthy recovery process from his second Tommy John surgery, Shohei Ohtani earned his first win as a starter of the 2025 season.
Leading the Los Angeles Dodgers to a resounding 5-1 victory over Cincinnati with a standout performance in which he limited opponents to one run and struck out nine batters in five innings.
A long awaited triumph
Shohei Ohtani reached the five-inning pitched mark – his best performance since the surgery – and successfully closed out his rehab as a pitcher.
After his departure, as soon as he finished on the mound, he took the helmet, pads and bat to lead the team as designated hitter, proving his value as a two-way player in a single game.
Recovery and caution in its use
Buzzy
Manager Dave Roberts expressed his satisfaction with Ohtani:
“I’m excited for Shohei…he was one pitcher away from being out of a chance to win because of the pitch count, so it was important that he was able to close out the win.”
Currently, the Los Angeles Dodgers are limiting his work to five innings and about 90 pitches per outing.
It’s a conservative approach to protect his arm and keep him competitive in both pitching and hitting roles.
Improvement in repertoire and mentality
In his previous two starts, Ohtani had allowed nine runs in 8⅓ innings, but this time he dominated with a combination of curves, sliders, sinkers and splitters.
He threw 17 curves, four of them for strikeouts, reducing the use of straights and sweepers, and diversifying his options on the mound.
I'm excited about Shohei
Dave Roberts
Relevance to the Hispanic community in the U.S.
Symbolic comeback: Seeing Ohtani succeed as a pitcher after complex surgery inspires many Latino baseball fans.
Dodgers reinforcement: His dual presence adds stability to a team plagued by injuries to its rotation.
Example of perseverance: His recovery and knowledge of multiple pitches show the discipline and ability to reinvent himself at elite levels.
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