LOS ANGELES, CA — Welcome to another Shohei Ohtani Day in LA. Not only did the three-time MVP and five All-Star get the start on the hill, but he also got to DH, and if that isn’t enough to bring fans to the ballpark on a hot Wednesday 1:10 game, the Dodgers were giving away a replica, metal, not plastic, Shohei Ohtani 2024 World Series Ring to the first 40,000 fans.
Dodgers’ Shohei Ohtani 2024 World Seres ring giveaway on Wednesday afternoon for the first 40,000 fans in attendance – Image Credit: Latino Sports
Ohtani was 0-0 with seven starts that included 15 innings pitched, an ERA of 2.40, and 17 strikeouts prior to Wednesday’s outing as he was expected to go at a maximum of four innings. Marking his start at Dodger Stadium for his career, St. Louis sent out a 25-year-old former 2018 first-round pick of Tampa Bay, left-hander Matthew Liberatore, 6-9, 3.96 ERA, to try to quiet the Dodger bats from Tuesday’s 12-6 beatdown by this monster LA lineup.
Ohtani retired the Cardinals in order in the first inning, hitting 97, 98, 99, and 100-MPH on his fastball with ease. Yes, he can pitch, and yes, he can hit in the same game. He got the Dodgers on the board in the third inning with a 440-foot two-run home run into the left field pavilion. A signature bomb that looked to be as high as it was far! It was also hit number 1000 in his MLB career.
But the bigger story is how he looks on the mound. Outstanding command and control on all his pitches and high-heat fastballs that sat on 99-100 mph. That is some serious smoke from a starter. Ohtani left with a line of four innings pitched, two hits, one run, zero walks, and eight strikeouts.
Additionally, the 31-year-old threw 54 pitches, 37 for strikes, proving once again he is not human!
All of that with Ohtani, and then we enter a totally different type of game when the Dodger bullpen took over. A combination of lack of command and control, walks, and hits surrendered by the pen’, combined with putrid defense by players who did not seem to know the basics of how to play the game, allowed the Cardinals to come from behind and take the three game set—two games to one with the final score of the series finale ending up 5-3, St. Louis.
“It’s not the norm. It’s been over two years since he’s done this, so he’s still sort of getting adjusted to this lifestyle as far as the day to day,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said on Ohtani’s pitching and full adjustment period back on the mound. “I don’t think he’s there yet. I think it’s going to get better as he gets more time in.”
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