Shohei Ohtani finally made his highly anticipated return on the mound for the Los Angeles Dodgers. For nearly two years, Ohtani was sidelined by elbow surgery. His debut against the San Diego Padres was sold out at Dodger Stadium.
The two-way star was restricted to just one inning and gave up a run on two hits. The highlight of Ohtani’s performance was his blazing fastball, which reached an impressive 100.2 mph. The Dodgers star had issues with control, as he threw 28 pitches in his single inning.
Apart from his pitching, he also contributed offensively with two clutch hits and two RBIs, helping the Dodgers secure a 6-3 victory over the Padres. The Dodgers are struggling with most of their pitching rotation on the IL. Now that Shohei Ohtani’s back on the mound, Dodgers fans will see more of him.
After the game, Ohtani sent a fierce two-word message, letting fans know that he’s ready to get back to pitching.
“I’m Back,” Ohtani wrote with a series of images of him pitching on Instagram.
Ohtani is back at the right time for the Dodgers, especially since they are struggling without pitchers. The pitcher will certainly help to reduce the burden on the team’s starting rotation. However, Dave Roberts might not use him to pitch much to avoid injuries.
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Shohei Ohtani Continues To Deliver For The Dodgers With His Strong Offense
Ohtani’s stellar offensive performance has helped the Dodgers win multiple games. The All-Star has 25 home runs in 283 at-bats. He recorded 43 RBIs and holds a strong .300 batting average. He has a .396 OBP with a 1.039 OPS.
Despite Ohtani getting back on the mound, several fans are worried about his performance at the plate. Many fear that Shohei Ohtani’s performance at the plate might decline once he starts pitching.
Some fans were also unhappy with the way Ohtani pitched against the Padres, as they expressed their disinterest.
Also Read: Where To Watch The Dodgers vs. Padres Game 2? TV Channel, Streaming Options, And More
