Shohei Ohtani Delivers Strong Outing in Cy Young Push vs. Blue Jays
Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani was up to his old tricks again, hitting and pitching in the same game, and his stuff as a pitcher looked solid. Ohtani hit leadoff, his usual spot in the order as the best hitter on the team who gets on base better than anyone, and took the mound for a full starting pitching workload. The Japanese righty did not have his most efficient outing, needing 76 pitches through four innings, averaging 19 pitches per inning.
He only got two strikeouts during that span, allowing three hits and a walk, though he had a six-pitch fifth inning that allowed him to come back out in the sixth inning. Apr 7, 2026; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Los Angeles Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani (17) hits a single against the Toronto Blue Jays in the third inning at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images Ohtani was throwing the full arsenal , including a couple of sliders and cutters, along with the odd sinker.
However, it was his combination of fastball, the sweeper, and curveball that proved to be his main weapons of choice. Shohei Ohtani gets it done without his best stuff During his start, Ohtani was hitting higher velocities than he did during his first start. His fastball averaged 98.
6 mph, while his velocity on five of his pitches was up compared to his season debut against the Guardians. Shohei Ohtani is getting it done as a pitcher. After allowing two hits, he pumps a 100 mph heater right by Kazuma Okamoto to get the out and strand three runners.
He is starting to increase his velocity, a scary sight for hitters. pic. twitter.