Shohei Ohtani exhibited resilience on Monday evening, showcasing his unique talent.
Ohtani resumed his pitching duties for the Los Angeles Dodgers on Monday, marking his first appearance since the All-Star hiatus during their 5-2 victory against the Minnesota Twins. Despite conceding an initial home run at Dodger Stadium, Ohtani ensured the Dodgers regained the lead by the time he stepped back onto the field for the second inning.
Ohtani, subsequent to Mookie Betts’ walk at the game’s commencement, launched a two-run home run towards center field, marking his 35th of the season.
The home run occurred shortly after Twins’ player Byron Buxton initiated the evening with a powerful home run during the top of the inning. This marked the first extra-base hit allowed by Ohtani throughout the entire season.
Ohtani proceeded to strike out two batters during the inning to minimize the damage.
Ohtani’s participation concluded after three innings on Monday evening, matching his longest start of the season. Dustin May took over his position. Ohtani allowed four hits and recorded three strikeouts, throwing a total of 46 pitches. He struck out during his other three at-bats of the night.
Monday evening signified the sixth instance of Ohtani taking the mound following his recovery from a torn UCL. This has been a gradual process, with the Dodgers carefully managing his innings. He pitched for only one inning in each of his initial two starts, subsequently extending to two innings in the following two appearances. Just before the All-Star break, Ohtani achieved a season-high four strikeouts in three innings against the San Francisco Giants.
Although Monday night’s performance didn’t begin ideally, Ohtani navigated it skillfully and emerged successfully.
Freddie Freeman returns after wrist injury
Notwithstanding what seemed like a notable wrist injury the previous day, Dodgers’ player Freddie Freeman was back in the lineup on Monday as if nothing had happened.
Freeman exited the Dodgers’ defeat against the Milwaukee Brewers on Sunday afternoon after an 88 mph sinker struck his wrist directly. He immediately withdrew from the game and was diagnosed with a left wrist contusion.
However, his X-rays following that game came back negative, and he was considered day-to-day. Then, on Monday, Freeman was reinstated into the Dodgers’ lineup. He mentioned experiencing some soreness before the game but felt ready to play. Freeman ultimately went 1 for 4 from the plate.
The Dodgers restricted the Twins to a single run until the ninth inning, during which they added another run after loading the bases. However, that comeback effort fell short when James Outman caught Carlos Correa’s potential game-tying home run at the top of the wall for the final out. Dodgers reliever Tanner Scott was removed from the game in the ninth inning with a trainer, reporting a “sting” in his forearm, according to manager Dave Roberts. He will undergo an MRI.
Will Smith contributed a pair of solo home runs in the fourth and sixth innings for the Dodgers following Ohtani’s homer, and Andy Pages added another solo shot in the seventh. The victory advanced the Dodgers to a 59-42 record for the season, breaking a three-game losing streak that occurred after being swept by the Milwaukee Brewers following the All-Star break.
The second game of the three-game series is scheduled for Tuesday night.
