A MARTÍNEZ, HOST:
In Los Angeles, Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani returned to the pitcher's mound last night for the first time since undergoing elbow surgery in 2023. Now, what makes Ohtani unique is the fact that he's an all-star hitter and an all-star pitcher. But he had never pitched for the Dodgers, the team he joined last season after signing a $700 million contract. Steve Futterman was at Dodger Stadium last night.
STEVE FUTTERMAN, BYLINE: There was no doubt who the center of attention was last night.
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UNIDENTIFIED SPORTSCASTER: On the mound for the Dodgers, number 17 - Shohei Ohtani.
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FUTTERMAN: For the first time as a Dodger, Shohei Ohtani was introduced as a pitcher. That's what fans like Thomas Craig (ph) came to see.
THOMAS CRAIG: It's exciting. It feels like history. Just come off a World Series, and now Shohei Ohtani's pitching for the first time since 2023.
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FUTTERMAN: In one inning against the San Diego Padres, Ohtani threw 28 pitches. One pitch was clocked at 99.9 miles an hour. Another reached 100.2. Ohtani showed a bit of rustiness. He allowed two hits and one run. After the game, he said through an interpreter it was a decent start.
SHOHEI OHTANI: (Through interpreter) Not quite happy with the results overall, but I think the biggest takeaway for me is that I feel, you know, good enough to be able to make the next outing.
FUTTERMAN: San Diego's star third baseman, Manny Machado, was impressed with Ohtani's stuff, especially considering his lengthy pitching layoff.
MANNY MACHADO: You know, it's just a small sample size. And, you know, looking forward to, you know, definitely facing him down the road.
FUTTERMAN: He's going to be OK?
MACHADO: Come on.
FUTTERMAN: (Laughter).
MACHADO: Come on, now. That's a - yeah, he's going to be - he's going to be fine.
FUTTERMAN: As simply a hitter, Ohtani is one of baseball's best. When you add his pitching to the equation, his value is off the charts. LA manager Dave Roberts was happy last night.
DAVE ROBERTS: I thought the stuff was really good. I thought he made some really competitive pitches. Overall, just really positive day for us.
FUTTERMAN: The Dodgers hope to slowly increase Ohtani's workload. They expect his next pitching appearance to come in around a week. He may go two innings.
For NPR News, I'm Steve Futterman at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles.
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