LOS ANGELES — Shohei Ohtani made headlines once again on Sunday at Dodger Stadium, this time not only taking the mound as the starting pitcher but also driving in five runs at the plate with a triple and a grand slam. After the game, Ohtani spoke to reporters about his performance, his ongoing return to pitching, and the satisfaction of seeing his two-way game come back together.
“Compared to last time, I was able to stay more relaxed and throw more like myself,” Ohtani said in Japanese of his one-inning outing on the mound. “It was always the plan for me to pitch just one inning today, but I hope that little by little I can increase that and start building up toward a full workload.”
It was Ohtani’s second time pitching since undergoing elbow surgery in 2023, and while he admitted it will take time to fully adjust, he’s encouraged by his early progress. “I’m coming back faster than I expected, and I feel like if I can keep improving step by step, I can get back to—or even beyond—where I was,” he said. “Of course, there’s still a lot I need to work on, but I’m confident.”
While Ohtani dazzled on the mound early, he didn’t find his rhythm at the plate right away. “My first two at-bats weren’t great,” he admitted. “The pitcher I faced today was excellent, and I couldn’t really stick to my approach. I chased a bit, swung through some pitches I thought I could hit. Looking back, they were just making really good pitches.”
But things changed in the later innings. In his third at-bat, Ohtani ripped a bases-clearing triple into the gap. The next time up, with two men on, he launched a home run to right-center field.
“I think the turning point was just making some adjustments based on what I saw earlier,” Ohtani said. “The pitchers were better than I expected, with more movement on their pitches, so I had to shift my timing and approach. Once I did that, I was able to stay on the ball better and get some big hits.”
Beyond the numbers, Ohtani acknowledged the personal satisfaction of returning to full two-way play.
“I’m just really happy,” he said. “It’s only been two outings, but the feeling of pitching and hitting in the same game again—that rhythm—it’s coming back. I still believe I won’t really feel like a starter until I can go five innings or more on the mound, so that’s what I’m aiming for.”
Ohtani also addressed the two pitches that hit him during the game—one while batting and one while pitching—but assured reporters that he’s fine. “There’s no real issue,” he said. “The pain is manageable, and as long as I keep up with treatment, I think I’ll be just fine in a few days.”
With another dominant performance in the books, Ohtani continues to be the engine driving the Dodgers on both sides of the ball. If Sunday is any indication, his journey back to full two-way stardom is right on track.
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