It was a day of celebration at Dodger Stadium where Los Angeles Dodgers fans saw Shohei Ohtani as a starting pitcher for the first time on the mound in his own home, in his second season with the California team. The wait was long, but the Japanese player’s patience overcame all the tests to return to the ballpark mound after 643 days of waiting, after rehabilitation from surgery for an elbow injury when he was still playing with the Anaheim Angels in 2023.
Before the cry of “Playball“, Dodgers fans were celebrating inside and outside the stadium knowing that the day had come and they finally witnessed the day when Shohei Ohtani returned as a starting pitcher and for the first time for the current MLB champions. The roar in the stands was colossal as the Japanese walked to the mound after a year and a half of absence. His work, for a player who was more than 600 days without throwing a ball professionally, was quite acceptable, where one of his pitches was around 100 miles per hour.
In the first inning, Shohei Ohtani allowed two hits to Fernando Tatis Jr. and Luis Arraez. He retired Manny Machado with a fly ball that produced a run, and then Gavin Sheets and Xander Bogaerts with ground balls to the infield. However, Dave Roberts decided that for the second inning Ohtani would be replaced by Anthony Banda, but why did he only pitch one inning?
Dave Roberts’ decision on Shohei Ohtani’s exit against San Diego Padres
For a fan, the desire is to see their star throughout the game. For a manager, the key is physical care and beginning to work on their return little by little so that the arm adapts to the conditions of a high-level match. After not having pitched in a game for 643 days, it was to be expected that Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts would be cautious with Shohei Ohtani’s return as a starting pitcher.
It was an ideal time to put him to the test against tremendous hitters in real competition, and what better way than against a rival like the San Diego Padres, who are at a great level of play. The Dodgers’ managers’ intention is that they should take it little by little and in a staggered manner with the demands of his arm. The goal is to get the best out of him when they need him most, mainly in the second half of the season, which will be after the All-Star Game on July 15 and then in perfect condition for the October games.
Shohei Ohtani leaves without a decision in Los Angeles Dodgers’ win over San Diego Padres
After his performance as a pitcher, the Japanese player resumed his role as a batter after leaving the game down 0-1. But it was Shohei Ohtani himself who tied the score with an RBI double in the second inning. At the end of the game, he finished with a valuable 2 – 4, where he drove in two runs.
Finally, the Los Angeles Dodgers defeated the San Diego Padres 6-3, in Shohei Ohtani’s return as a starting pitcher, after more than 600 days of absence on the mound.
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