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Shohei Ohtani, the Los Angeles Dodgers’ shining star, has dazzled fans with his bat this season. Yet, it’s easy to overlook that he’s also a top-notch pitcher.
This season, Shohei Ohtani has been focused on hitting, as he’s recovering from his second major elbow surgery. Although he won’t pitch this year, Ohtani made a notable step towards his return to the mound on Saturday.
In a significant development, Shohei Ohtani threw from the mound at Dodger Stadium for the first time in a year. His last pitching appearance was on August 23, 2023, when he played for the Angels and suffered ligament damage in his right elbow. According to The Athletic, Ohtani threw 10 pitches in this brief but promising session.
The Dodgers signed Shohei Ohtani to a 10-year, $700 million contract last December, fully aware that he would only be able to hit this season. Despite this, he has delivered a remarkable performance.
On Friday, Shohei Ohtani joined an elite group, becoming only the sixth player in MLB history to hit 40 home runs and steal 40 bases in a single season. He continued his impressive streak with another home run on Saturday during an extra-inning game against the Tampa Bay Rays.
Shohei Ohtani leads the National League with 41 home runs and is tied with Marcell Ozuna of the Atlanta Braves for the most RBIs at 94. Even his future Hall of Fame teammate, Clayton Kershaw, is in awe. “I can’t say enough about him,” Kershaw commented. “Every night, he accomplishes something remarkable, all while diligently working to return to pitching.” It’s truly remarkable.”
