161.4km fastball + 120.2km low-speed curve, Ohtani's strikeout parade strikeouts with 9 strikeouts, and winning pitcher in 749 days are thrilled
Aug 28, 2025
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Ohtani started the final game of the three consecutive home games against the Cincinnati Reds at Dodger Stadium on the 28th (Korea time) and led the team to a 5-1 victory by allowing one run on two hits and two walks with the strength of striking out nine in five innings.
Since returning to the mound against the San Diego Padres on June 17, he has filled five innings in 11 games, becoming a winning pitcher. He lowered his ERA from 4.61 to 4.18 with one win and one loss in the season. Ohtani became a winning pitcher for the first time in two years and 18 days (749 days) since the game against the San Francisco Giants (three hits and one run in six innings) on August 10, 2023, when he was with the Los Angeles Angels.
The number of pitches was 87, the highest this season, and the fastball speed of 15 pitches was up to 100.3 miles (161.4 kilometers) and an average of 98.1 miles (157.9 kilometers). On the day, he pitched mainly in breaking balls (23), sweeper (16), and splitter (11). In particular, he took away the timing of Cincinnati batters by adjusting the speed of the curve in various ways from 74.7 miles (120.2 kilometers) to 84.0 miles.
Ohtani was sluggish in four innings against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field on the 21st, allowing five runs and nine hits. In addition, he took the mound for the first time in seven days after taking another day off from the opponent's thigh and bruising.
In particular, the game was even more meaningful as LAFC Son Heung-min, a Korean player from the 'World Star' MLS (major league soccer player), threw the first pitch wearing a Dodgers jersey. However, there was no footage of Son Heung-min and Ohtani, the two leading Asian sports stars, sitting together.
Son Heung-min's first pitch was received by Blake Snell, and the two shared a hug after the first pitch. In addition, Son Heung-min had time to exchange uniforms with first baseman Freddie Freeman, who represents the Dodgers, and also greeted manager Dave Roberts with a hug.
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In the second inning, with two walks and two wild pitches, he was on the verge of one out and runners on the second and third bases, striking out Kibryan Hayes with a 100.3-mile-high fastball, and striking out Matt McClain with an 81.4-mile curve that fell outside his seventh pitch and allowing no runs.
Ohtani, who was struggling amid anxiety, lost a run first after hitting a home run in the top of the third inning. After one out, he allowed Noelby Marte to hit a 93-mile cutter in the middle of the first pitch and a solo home run that easily crossed the left-center fence. The third homer of the season.
But Ohtani struck out Ellie Delacruz and Hayes in a row to end the inning.
Ohtani struck out the first Gavin Lux in the fourth inning with an 82.6-mile curve on the sixth pitch, then grounded out Spencer Steyer to third and handled Jose Trevino to first base fly, recording his first three-out walk of the day.
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Leader Ohtani opened the scoring with his team's first hit. Cincinnati left-hander Nick Rodolo pulled an 88.5-mile body changeup on the fourth pitch and hit a 102.7-mile run to the right. After one out, Ohtani, who went to second base with Teoscar Hernandez's missed hit to right center, had another missed hit to right center by Andy Pazs, who advanced to third base, and the Dodgers had a chance to load the bases with one out.
Kike Hernandez then hit a heavy hit, and Ohtani and Theoska homered and turned the tide 2-1. Dalton Rushing's two-run timely hit then made pitcher Ohtani lighten his shoulders by running away 4-1.
Ohtani also took the mound in the fifth inning and grounded out lead Hayes to third base, struck out McClain swinging with an 88.9-mile slider and recorded his ninth strikeout of the season. Friedl then caught a ground ball to the first base and finally filled five innings.
In the bottom of the eighth inning, the Dodgers sealed the game with Michael Confoto hitting a superior solo home run, and four bullpen pitchers, Jack Dryer, Justin Roblesky, Euardo Enriquez and Blake Trinen, who took the mound after Ohtani, kept Ohtani's victory by allowing no runs in the remaining four innings. With four consecutive wins, including this three-game sweep, the Dodgers marked 77 wins and 57 losses, firmly maintaining their lead in the NL West. The second-ranked San Diego Padres (75-59) lost to the Seattle Mariners 3-4 on the same day, widening the gap between the two teams to two games.
In addition, he rose to second place, beating the Philadelphia Phillies (76-57) in the competition for first and second-place wins, which will qualify for the division series directly.
This article was translated by Naver AI translator.
