Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani Earns 1st Victory Since 2023

Los Angeles Dodgers right-hander Shohei Ohtani pitched five innings of two-hit, one-run ball against the Cincinnati Reds on Wednesday, August 27.

The reigning National League MVP's stellar effort on the mound helped lead the Dodgers to a 5-1 victory over the visiting Reds. What's more, Ohtani earned his first MLB win since August 9, 2023, against the San Francisco Giants during his final season with the Los Angeles Angels.

Ohtani struck out a season-best nine batters and issued two walks, with both free passes coming in the second inning, when he also threw a pair of wild passes.

The Reds had runners on second and third with one out in the second. Ohtani fanned Ke'Bryan Hayes and Matt McLain to get out of the jam. He threw a season-high 87 pitches (53 strikes).

The Reds scored their lone run against Ohtani on a Noelvi Marte solo home run in the third inning.

It was Ohtani's 11th start of the 2025 MLB season. He made his season debut as a pitcher on June 16, working one inning against the San Diego Padres.

In 2024, he was the Dodgers' everyday designated hitter, and the pride of Iwate Prefecture became MLB's first 50-50 player (54 home runs, 59 stolen bases). He didn't pitch in the Dodgers' title-winning season after undergoing surgery on his right elbow in September 2023.

'Everything Was Working' for Shohei Ohtani

On Wednesday, Ohtani showcased his curveball, using the breaking ball on 23 pitches. Most notably, he recorded four strikeouts with the pitch. He also used his blazing four-seam fastball, topping out at 100.3 mph (161.4 kph).

Ohtani (1-1) was pleased that he pitched five innings, reaching a new benchmark this season. In his three previous starts this month, his longest outing was 4⅓ innings against the Angels on August 13.

"The fact that I was able to reach five innings was really key in terms of moving forward," Ohtani said through his interpreter, according to MLB.com. "Moving forward, it's going to be a collaboration between the doctors, the front office and [manager] Dave Roberts in terms of how we want to proceed if we're going to throw more than five."

Before he faced the Reds on Wednesday, Ohtani struggled in his last two starts, allowing a combined nine runs and 14 hits in 8⅓ innings.

That led to some pitching adjustments for the two-way star.

"The plan going into this game was to throw more curveballs and splits (split-fingered fastballs) regardless of the lineup," Ohtani was quoted as saying by The Associated Press.

Dodgers catcher Dalton Rushing, who is a rookie, said Ohtani utilized his full gamut of pitches. 

"Everything was working. He got in a groove," Rushing said after the game, according to The Associated Press.

Rushing then said, "He figured out the curveball in the first inning and it was working really well for him. It was a big pitch."

What was Roberts' assessment of Ohtani's performance against Cincinnati?

"The great thing about Shohei is he can command, when he's right, four or five pitches," Roberts told reporters. "Today was a complete performance by Shohei."

Utilizing All of His Pitches

In addition to relying on a tone-setting curveball in Wednesday's series finale, Shohei Ohtani threw seven different pitches, including a sweeper, in the first inning, ESPN.com reported.

And as the game progressed, that was a helpful factor for Ohtani.

"I think the great thing about Shohei is he can command, when he's right, four or five pitches," Roberts said, according to ESPN.com. "When you're trying to go through a lineup three times, you've got to at times be able to go to different pitches and sequences."

A day after Dodgers southpaw Clayton Kershaw (9-2) earned his 221st career victory ― and a win in his fifth consecutive stat ― Ohtani's strong outing was an instrumental part of LA's series-sweeping triumph victory over the Reds.

The reigning World Series champion Dodgers have won four straight games.

As a result, LA (77-57) holds a two-game lead atop the National League West standings. San Diego is in second place.

RELATED:

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• ODDS and EVENS | Shohei Ohtani Moves Closer to Pitching Comeback
• SPORTS SHORTS | MLB Stars Ohtani and Suzuki Wielding Powerful Bats
• Shohei Ohtani Suffers Elbow Injury and Will Not Pitch Again This Season

Author: Ed Odeven

Find Ed on JAPAN Forward's dedicated website, SportsLook. Follow his [Japan Sports Notebook] on Sundays, [Odds and Evens] during the week, and X (formerly Twitter) ＠ed_odeven.