Shohei Ohtani makes Dodgers pitching debut: Three takeaways as he hits 100 mph in long-awaited mound return

The Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani made her return to the mound on Monday evening, launching a round against the Padres of San Diego (Gametracker). It was the first appearance of Ohtani as a launcher since August 23, 2023, when he was still a member of the Los Angeles Angels. He then underwent a surgery of the elbow which, combined with his strike responsibilities and the torn labrum in his undeveloped shoulder which he suffered during the World Series of last year, had delayed his debuting debut of the Dodgers.

Ohtani was the Dodgers’ opening match on Monday, launching 28 throws. Ohtani granted a race on two strokes. He did not withdraw the five strikers he faced, and his quick ball touched 100 MPH.

Now, for some take -out dishes of Ohtani’s first time as a member of the Dodgers.

1. Ohtani was not at his best

Unsurprisingly, given the long layout and the fact that he made major surgery, Ohtani was not in vintage form. In his only work round, he gave a race on a pair of safe blows without withdrawals in the stick and without walks. He gave a stroke of bloop to the center to the head man of Padres Fernando Tatis Jr., then Tatis was able to take the second goal on the wild land of Ohtani to Luis Arraez. Take up shortly after aligned a single center, which pushed Tatis to third. Tatis scored, closely before the throwing of Andy Pages, when Manny Machado struck a bag of bag in the center. Ohtani ended the frame on the withdrawals of Gavin Sheets and Xander Bogaerts.

Ohtani had trouble ordering the ball sometimes, especially on the glove side of the plate, and he was helped by a few calls for the maybe generous typing of the Tripp Gibson plate referee. He reached three counts out of three of the five strikers he faced in the Channel. On the 28 throws of Ohtani, 16 went to strikes. He won three puffs out of 13 swings.

The beginning of Ohtani was intended to be variety “opener” – a soft landing after such a long layout. The fact that he presented a round was orchestrated and not an answer to the difficulties he knew in this context alone.

.2. Ohtani’s quick ball showed vintage speed and then some

Often, ordering is the last thing to return to a launcher when returning from Tommy John surgery or similar hybrid procedures. This may be the case for Ohtani, but his quick ball was certainly in the shape of a fight. He launched nine four runners in this first round, and he has an average of 99.1 mph greening with the terrain. He completed 100.2 MPH, which is the second fastest land launched by a Dodger this season. In 2023, Ohtani’s quick ball was on average 96.8 MPH.

In all, Ohtani called on four of his six on Monday (or on the occasion of seven). In addition to the quick ball, he also confronted the paadres with his sweeper, lead and separator. Two of his three puffs came on the quick ball, and the other came to the sweeper.

3. Ohtani has joined the rare company of the National League

In addition to launching the top of the first, Ohtani at the bottom of the first hit what has become his usual head point. He withdrew the tour by swinging against the Ace Dylan Padres Cess, but even he made a little story:

Dark transports an asterisk a little, because he also launched a single round in what turned out to be the only appearance of pitching his career in 14 years in the League. Ohtani, of course, will have much more departures on the mound while striking in front of him.

Upon entering Monday’s match, Ohtani, 30, appeared in 86 MLB games in career as a launcher. He raised an ERA of 3.01 (142 ERA +) and a 3.51 withdrawal ratio in 481 ⅔ sleeves. He finished fourth in 2022 American League Cy Young Award Voting and compiled around 15 victories above the replacement, according to the calculations hosted at Baseball Reference.

Throughout Ohtani’s recovery, there has been a daily presence in the Dodgers programming as a designated team striker, which means that he did not appear in any minor league match on a rehabilitation assignment. In 229 games as Dodger entering Monday, he had struck. 306 / .391 / .645 (189 ops +) with 79 circuits and 70 stolen bases. His contributions as a striker were about 12.8 wins above the replacement, again according to the baseball reference.

The return of Ohtani to the Tipping Staff of Dodgers, even as a limited basis, is a welcome development for Los Angeles. The Dodgers are currently without a whole of beginners, in particular Tyler Glasnow and Blake Snell (which are both on the recovery track) and the signature of the Highly praised international agent Roki Sasaki, of which The status for the rest of the season is now in doubt After having undergone a shoulder.

It should be noted that Ohtani, as a qualified two -way player, does not count against the limit of dodgers of 13 launchers.