Kim Hye-sung's double hit, Theo, could you have caught it? Checked Ohtani threw 156.1km and exploded 174.3km 18 four hours later

May 26, 2025

Kim Hye-sung's double hit, Theo, could you have caught it? Checked Ohtani threw 156.1km and exploded 174.3km 18 four hours later
LA Dodgers Shohei Ohtani is holding a live pitching at Citi Field on the 26th (Korea time). AP Yonhap News



Kim Hye-sung's double hit, Theo, could you have caught it? Checked Ohtani threw 156.1km and exploded 174.3km 18 four hours later
Otani pitches to Kim Hye-sung in a live pitching session. Photo =MLB.com
Kim Hye-sung's double hit, Theo, could you have caught it? Checked Ohtani threw 156.1km and exploded 174.3km 18 four hours later
Tani Shohei hits a superior solo home run against Mets starter Senga Godai in the top of the first inning four hours after live pitching. AFP Yonhap News
LA Dodgers Shohei Ohtani showed off his strength to hit a home run immediately after pitching rehabilitation equivalent to a real game, signaling that his return to 'Both Pitching' is imminent.

Ohtani pitched live four hours before the away game against the New York Mets at Queens City Field, New York on the 26th (Korea time). It was the first time he had a batter set up and pitched all-out in the same situation as the actual game since he received Tommy John Surgery in his right elbow in September 2023 when he was with the Los Angeles Angels.

Three Dodgers batters faced Ohtani, including Kim Hye-sung and Dalton Rushing, and JT Watkins, Dodgers game planning and communication coach. Originally, only left-handed hitters Kim Hye-sung and Rushing were supposed to take the batter's box, but coach Watkins, who is not an active Dodgers right-handed hitter, also picked up the bat because Ohtani wanted to deal with right-handed hitters.




Ohtani threw a total of 22 pitches against them. I mainly threw fastballs, cutters, and sinkers, and mixed sweeper and splitter. The four-seam fastball restraint, which drew attention, was formed at 94-95 miles and shot up to 97 miles (156.1 kilometers).

Kim Hye-sung's double hit, Theo, could you have caught it? Checked Ohtani threw 156.1km and exploded 174.3km 18 four hours later
Otani is throwing the ball to live pitching coach JT Watkins. AP Yonhap News
Kim Hye-sung's double hit, Theo, could you have caught it? Checked Ohtani threw 156.1km and exploded 174.3km 18 four hours later
Otani threw a total of 22 balls in the live pitching on the day. AP Yonhap News
Ohtani was particularly interested in facing Kim Hye-sung. Kim Hye-sung hit a grounder to the pitcher in the first match. Ohtani pretended to catch the ball himself and throw it to first base. But in the second at-bat, he hit a sharp double to the right. When Kim Hye-sung's ball flew to the right, Ohtani turned in that direction and told right fielder Teoscar Hernandez "If it was an actual game, could you have caught it?," he asked.

Coach Watkins struck out and walked, and Rushing struck out.




After the live pitching, Rushing came to the ballpark and was sitting in the clubhouse when he saw him go to the mound. It was very interesting today. Everyone wanted to see his live pitching. I took the batter's box myself, and it was fun and Ohtani seemed to throw very well," he said.

Pitcher coach Mark Pryor said, `He looked in great condition and in good shape. Dealing with the other is always important. He seemed confident and strong enough to endure. He pitched while maintaining his ball power steadily, and in that sense, it was excellent for his first live pitching. The movement was good, too" he evaluated.

Manager Dave Roberts said, `I've been used to seeing Ohtani as a batter so far, but seeing him on the mound as a pitcher was different and interesting for all of us?,' and added, `It's a must, but if it goes as planned, he's a top-class starter. Isn't that what we expect?"




Ohtani's live pitching showed interest by watching not only Dodgers players and officials, but also Carlos Mendoza, pitcher Griffin Canning and outfielder Jesse Winker in the Mets dugout.

Kim Hye-sung's double hit, Theo, could you have caught it? Checked Ohtani threw 156.1km and exploded 174.3km 18 four hours later
Shohei Otani is looking at the ball after hitting a solo home run to right-center from Godai Senga in the top of the first inning. AFP Yonhap News
However, Ohtani played as a leadoff designated hitter as usual in the actual game against the Mets and fired a home run in his first at-bat in the top of the first inning. In one ball, Mets starter Sena Godai pulled a 94.8-mile fastball that fell into the middle of Kodaly's second pitch and hit the right-center fence wide. The 18th home run of the season, 31 degrees in launch angle, 108.2 miles (174.3 kilometers) in batting speed, and 411 feet in distance.

It is the first time in six days that Ohtani hit a home run since the Arizona Diamondbacks match on the 20th. With this, Ohtani moved back to the top of the combined home run in both leagues, along with New York Yankees Aaron Judge and Philadelphia Phillies Kyle Schwarber.

Kim Hye-sung's double hit, Theo, could you have caught it? Checked Ohtani threw 156.1km and exploded 174.3km 18 four hours later
LA Dodgers Shohei Ohtani hits a solo home run to right-center in the top of the first inning. AP Yonhap News


This article was translated by Naver AI translator.