LOS ANGELES — Dodgers two-way phenom Shohei Ohtani is once again demonstrating why he’s one of the most remarkable talents in Major League Baseball. After his latest outing, Ohtani shared his thoughts on the experience, emphasizing his progress and his focus on continuous improvement. Ohtani pitched one inning and finished with 18 pitches and two strikeouts as the Dodgers blasted the nationals 13-7 on Sunday.
“I could relax much better than my last outing. That was the original plan, and I’m looking forward to adding more innings and more pitches,” Ohtani said. His confidence was evident as he approached this next step in his recovery, aiming for increased workload and sharper performance.
When asked about his experience at the plate, he emphasized his progress at and on the mound.
“Looking back at my at-bats, the first two at-bats, hats off to the pitcher. I pitched well, so I couldn’t have a good rhythm going into it.“
Despite a strong performance, he acknowledged that finding a rhythm between pitching and hitting remains a work in progress.
One of the biggest questions lingering for fans and analysts alike concerns how quickly Ohtani can fully balance both roles again, especially after focusing predominantly on pitching for a year and a half.
“I know it’s what I’ve always done, but is there an affirmation period after a long break?” Ohtani stated that he’s been able to return to activity earlier than expected, which is encouraging for his overall timeline.
“I’ve been able to come back to inaction earlier than I thought, so in that sense, I feel like I need to work on some things. But at the same time, I believe I can perform better than I did before.“
This mindset exemplifies his dedication to resuming his dual role and his level of perfection, which manager Dave Roberts admires and respects greatly about Ohtani.
Ohtani confirmed that his goal is to get “all the way stretched out to make full starts” but emphasized that “it’s going to be a gradual process. I want to see improvements in the quality of my pitches and increase the number of pitches I throw,” he said. His approach is meticulous and patient, ensuring sustainable progress rather than rushing back too quickly.
“The way my body moves when I pitch. It’s something I’ve worked on with my pitching coaches, and I feel like I’ve improved a lot since then,” Ohtani said regarding his improvement going forward.
His relentless work ethic and self-awareness continue to drive his journey back to top form as a two-way player in MLB. According to Roberts, Ohtani will remain on the current pitching plan until further notice.
