Chat with Colin Cowherd as Dave Roberts Discusses the Remarkable Shohei Ohtani and His Impact on the LA Dodgers
Baseball star Shohei Ohtani encounters some vulnerability in his initial pitching performance since the 2023 season.
In a lively conversation on The Herd, Dave Roberts chats with Colin Cowherd about managing the extraordinary Shohei Ohtani, who proves to be the top talent in baseball and brings unparalleled value to the LA Dodgers, both on and off the field.
Making his long-awaited LA Dodgers pitching debut on June 16, 2025 against the San Diego Padres, Shohei Ohtani displayed a slight lack of polish on the mound. Opening the game, he surrendered one run on two hits in a single inning, throwing 28 pitches – the second most among all Dodgers pitchers that day.
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Despite the noticeable rust, it was an encouraging start for Ohtani, being 21 months since his last pitching appearance due to a nagging elbow injury. He clocked a speedy 100.2 mph on his fastball.
"I oughta be pitching at ninety-five to ninety-six," Ohtani asserted post-match through a translator, following the Dodgers' thrilling 6-3 victory, “but the match intensity provided a boost to throw slightly harder.”
Ohtani confessed that his pre-game jitters were even more pronounced. He batted 2-for-4 with two RBI, a walk and a pair of strikeouts.
"I hit a hundred (mph) today, so I'll see how my body responds," Ohtani intoned. "But I anticipate pitching once a week, hoping to gradually extend each outing to alleviate pressure on the bullpen."
While Ohtani played it cool, fellow third baseman Max Muncy was music to his ears, exclaiming, "His stuff looked electrifying, but without sufficient rehab games, his command wasn't as sharp as usual – which we noticed tonight."
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The Dodgers boosted their record to 44-29 with the win, while San Diego dropped to 39-32.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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Ryan Gaydos, our website Digital's senior editor, is in charge of sports coverage.*
In the wake of Shohei Ohtani's debut, the Dodgers' sports coverage becomes more compelling, with Ohtani, a superstar on par with MLB's top talent, showing signs of formidable pitching despite a slight rustiness, hitting a speedy 100.2 mph on his fastball.
