After pitching for the first time in nearly two years on Monday, the Los Angeles Dodgers will give right-hander Shohei Ohtani his second start of the season at home against the Washington Nationals on Sunday.
A rusty Ohtani pitched one inning in his Dodgers pitching debut against the San Diego Padres on Monday, needing 28 pitches to get through his one frame. He gave up one run on two hits with no walks or strikeouts while facing five batters.
Los Angeles, crushed by injuries to its starting pitchers, welcomed back left-hander Clayton Kershaw last month, while Ohtani and right-hander Emmet Sheehan returned this week. Ohtani, 30, has been on the mend from Tommy John revision surgery in September 2023.
On Monday, Ohtani's fastest pitch was 100.2 mph to Padres No. 2 hitter Luis Arraez. He threw three other fastballs at 99.1 mph.
"I was aiming to sit 95, 96, but the game intensity really allowed me to throw a little harder, and I was able to adjust back to be able to throw 95, 96 against (Xander) Bogaerts in the last at-bat," Ohtani said through an interpreter.
In 86 career pitching starts with the Los Angeles Angels from 2018 to 2023, Ohtani went 38-19 with a 3.01 ERA and 608 strikeouts in 481⅔ innings.
He was voted American League MVP in 2021 and 2023 for his hitting and pitching exploits, then won the National League MVP last season with the Dodgers after he hit 54 home runs with 59 stolen bases.
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