Shohei Ohtani pitched two scoreless innings Saturday against the Kansas City Royals in Kansas City, Missouri, in his third appearance on the mound for the Dodgers and the first time he’s pitched past the first inning for the team.
The reigning National League Most Valuable Player allowed one hit, walked one batter and had one strikeout.
Ohtani retired the first batter he faced, Jonathan India, on a popup to second baseman Hyeseong Kim, then allowed a single to Bobby Witt Jr. and walked Maikel Garcia.
Ohtani induced Vinnie Pasquantino to ground into an inning-ending double play on a 101.7 mph four-seam fastball, the fastest pitch of his major league career, the Dodgers’ fastest pitch of the season and second-fastest since the start of the 2023 season, according to MLB researcher Sarah Langs.
Ohtani retired the Royals in order in the second, with Salvador Perez lining out to center fielder Andy Pages, striking out Jac Caglianone on a 1-2, 89.1 mph slider and getting Nick Loftin to foul out to catcher Dalton Rushing on an 0-2, 82.6 mph sweeper.
Of the 27 pitches Ohtani threw, 20 were strikes.
Ben Casparius replaced Ohtani as the Dodgers’ pitcher to start the third inning, but Ohtani remained in the game as the designated hitter in the 9-5 loss. Ohtani went 0-for-4, striking out three times.
Ohtani had pitched one inning in both his previous two pitching starts. He allowed two singles and a run in a 6-3 victory over the San Diego Padres on June 16 in his first pitching appearance since Aug. 23, 2023 when he tore his ulnar collateral ligament while playing for the Angels. He then pitched a hitless inning striking out the final two batters he faced Sunday against the Washington Nationals.
Ohtani underwent a procedure to repair the ligament in September 2023, his second major surgery on his right elbow.
Ohtani underwent Tommy John surgery on Oct. 1, 2018, to repair a torn ligament in the elbow. He did not pitch again until July 26, 2020, the first of two pitching appearances in the coronavirus-delayed 2020 season.