On a sweltering summer night at Dodger Stadium, all eyes were on Shohei Ohtani as he took the mound against the Cincinnati Reds.
With fans eager to see the two-way star continue his return to pitching, things didn’t quite go as planned.
Despite early excitement, Ohtani’s outing was cut short due to cramping in his right hip—leaving Dodgers supporters holding their breath.
Cramping Throws Off Ohtani’s Groove
Ohtani had planned to pitch four full innings, but he didn’t make it past the start of the fourth.
He had a promising stretch through three innings, but when the fourth rolled around, his control slipped.
He threw six consecutive balls—two of which were wild pitches—and didn’t record an out before being pulled from the game.
Fortunately, the issue wasn’t a new injury or setback from his Tommy John recovery.
Ohtani revealed afterward, through his interpreter, that he began feeling the cramping in the first inning and tried to power through.
“I just tried to work around it,” he said.
“I was able to do so up until the third, and it didn’t quite work out in the fourth.”
Heat and Humidity Blamed for the Discomfort
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts confirmed that the uncomfortable weather was likely a big factor.
The temperature at first pitch was a blistering 90 degrees Fahrenheit (32°C), with the heat index making it feel closer to 100.
After Ohtani’s awkward delivery on a low sweeper to Spencer Steer, Roberts and a team trainer rushed to the mound. They quickly made the decision to take him out of the game.
“I just saw a funky throw,” Roberts explained.
“The follow-through didn’t look right. Then another pitch came, and it still didn’t look normal.
That’s when he told us it was his hip and blamed the humidity. That gave me some peace of mind.”
Still Hitting, But Not Connecting
Although his time on the mound was cut short, Ohtani didn’t head to the locker room.
He remained in the game as the designated hitter but struggled at the plate, going 0 for 5.
That included a hard-hit liner that ended the game in center fielder Will Benson’s glove.
It was the second straight day Ohtani had a rough showing, striking out four times the night before.
“I don’t play defense, so that helped me stay in,” he noted.
“But it was a tight game, and I really wanted to contribute. I just couldn’t find my rhythm tonight.”
A Long-Awaited Return to the Mound
This latest appearance marked Ohtani’s seventh start since returning to pitching after undergoing Tommy John surgery on his right elbow.
He didn’t pitch at all during his first season with the Dodgers, having signed a monumental 10-year, $700 million deal.
But that didn’t stop him from excelling at the plate in 2023, smashing 54 home runs and stealing 59 bases—efforts that earned him his third MVP title.
Despite exiting early, Wednesday’s performance was still his longest pitching outing in this new chapter.
He threw 51 pitches, 32 of them for strikes, and gave up two runs on five hits.
He also struck out four batters and walked two.
Staying Positive and Looking Ahead
Ohtani remains optimistic about the road ahead.
He acknowledged that physically, he hasn’t been feeling 100% over the past few days, but he still sees progress.
“A good thing about today’s outing is my pitch count was where I wanted it to be. I think this is a step forward in a sense,” he said.
As the Dodgers continue their season, fans can expect to see more of Ohtani—hopefully in full health and back to his dominant self.
For now, he’s focused on recovering and staying sharp, both on the mound and at the plate.
So, what’s next?
Ohtani hopes to make his next scheduled start, weather and body willing.
Dodgers fans, fingers crossed.