Shohei Ohtani delivered the kind of performance Wednesday night that the Dodgers have been waiting months to see. In front of a home crowd at Dodger Stadium, the two-way superstar struck out nine batters across five innings and picked up his first win of the season in a 5-1 victory over the Cincinnati Reds. It was a major step forward for Ohtani, who has been carefully building back from a second elbow surgery.
Ohtani shows progress on mound and at plate
Ohtani threw 87 pitches before manager Dave Roberts handed the game to the bullpen. The final pitch of his outing, a sharp slider that forced a routine groundout, gave him five full innings for the first time this year. The moment might have been one to savor, but there was no time for celebration, Ohtani had to grab his helmet and lead off the next half-inning at the plate. That back-and-forth captured what makes him such a rare force in the game.
Adjustments on the mound
The way Ohtani got through five innings showed progress. In earlier starts, he leaned heavily on his fastball and sweeper, but both pitches left him vulnerable. Against the Reds, he mixed in curveballs, splitters, and cutters, keeping hitters guessing. His 17 curveballs were especially effective, generating four strikeouts. Outside of a solo home run by Noelvi Marte, Cincinnati had few answers.
Catcher Dalton Rushing said the plan was to lean on off-speed pitches early to open up the fastball later in the game. That approach worked, giving Ohtani more room to attack hitters deeper into the lineup.
Impact on the Dodgers
Los Angeles has been quietly climbing in the NL West, and Ohtani’s performance adds another layer of optimism. The Dodgers’ rotation, already featuring Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Blake Snell, Tyler Glasnow, and a returning Clayton Kershaw, looks far more dangerous if Ohtani can consistently give them five innings or more.
The offense is also trending up, with Teoscar Hernandez, Andy Pages, and Enrique Hernandez stepping up while Max Muncy and Tommy Edman prepare to return from injuries. The sweep of the Reds pushed the Dodgers’ win streak to four and gave them breathing room over the Padres in the division race.
MORE: Washington Nationals do something not done in 22 years Wednesday at Yankee Stadium
What comes next?
The Dodgers plan to keep Ohtani on a pitch limit around 90 for now, but Wednesday proved he can handle a starter’s workload again. Roberts called it a “good marker,” and Ohtani himself admitted it was an important checkpoint in his comeback.
If Ohtani can keep progressing, the Dodgers have an ace-level starter and a middle-of-the-order bat rolled into one as the postseason approaches. That combination is what Los Angeles paid for, and this first win may be the start of Ohtani fully settling into his dual role in Dodger blue.
More MLB News:
- First Ever: History Made in MLB on Sunday from Seattle
- Paul Skenes makes quick and easy work of the Colorado Rockies
- Next up: Mickey Mantle for Seattle's Cal Raleigh
- Surprise hurler leads San Diego Padres into first place on Saturday