Shohei Ohtani, the versatile talent of the Los Angeles Dodgers, had a challenging debut as a pitcher against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field. Ohtani exited the game on Wednesday after conceding five earned runs and allowing nine hits over four innings, while also being struck in the leg by a line drive.
During the fourth inning with runners in scoring position, Ohtani was hit on the right leg by a line drive off the bat of Orlando Arcia from the Rockies. This caused Ohtani visible discomfort as he limped and grimaced in pain. Despite the impact, Ohtani managed to retrieve the ball and attempted a throw, but the Rockies scored a run.
After receiving attention from manager Dave Roberts and the medical team, Ohtani continued pitching and secured the final two outs of the inning. Unfortunately, the Dodgers were trailing 5-0 at that point and eventually lost 8-3 to the Rockies.
Roberts mentioned post-game that the line drive struck Ohtani’s thigh, fortunately avoiding contact with his knee or bone. Expressing relief, Roberts stated, “If you’re talking about the kneecap, that’s a different conversation. When I saw the ball mark on his thigh, I was very relieved, relative to the situation.”
Through an interpreter, Ohtani stated that he had previously been hit in the same area on his leg by a pitch. He expressed gratitude that the latest incident didn’t involve his knee and emphasized the need to focus on recovery.
This outing marked Ohtani’s 10th start of the season following his absence in 2024 due to elbow surgery. The number of earned runs conceded in this game equaled his highest since July 2022, and the nine hits allowed matched his career record.
Despite the injury scare, Ohtani remained in the game and even drew a walk in the fifth inning. However, he didn’t bat in the eighth inning and was substituted by Alex Call, who struck out. Ohtani’s performance included a double and a walk, extending his on-base streak to 18 games.
Roberts expressed confidence that Ohtani would be available for the upcoming game against the San Diego Padres on Friday. Prior to the injury, Ohtani was already set to sit out the series finale against the Rockies on Thursday.
Heading into Wednesday’s game, Ohtani had not received a decision and held a 3.47 ERA for the season. His pitching workload has been limited, not exceeding 4 2/3 innings or 80 pitches in any game. Against the struggling Rockies, Ohtani threw 66 pitches, with 49 of them being strikes.
Offensively, Ohtani boasts a batting average of .284 with 44 home runs, one shy of NL leader Kyle Schwarber from the Phillies, along with 83 RBIs.