The fastball hissed through the humid Midwest air like a bullet tearing through paper. 102 miles per hour. Shohei Ohtani’s heater wasn’t just back—it was announcing itself like a thunderclap.
In his third start of the season—and first road start in a Los Angeles Dodgers uniform—the two-way marvel delivered another deliberate, efficient performance on the mound Saturday night against the Kansas City Royals. This time, it wasn’t just a glimpse. It was a clear, extended look at what’s coming.
Two innings. One hit. One walk. One strikeout. Twenty-seven pitches.
Short and surgical, once again.
This wasn’t just another chapter in Ohtani’s comeback tour—it was a leap forward. For the first time since undergoing a second Tommy John surgery and missing all of 2024 as a pitcher, Ohtani went more than one inning. And he did it with poise, pace, and a full arsenal of weapons that left the Royals guessing.
In a season full of anticipation, this outing felt like the first page of a new book. And the Dodgers, cautious all year, may finally be ready to turn that page.
From the first pitch of the game—a 95 mph fastball up in the zone—Ohtani attacked. No hesitation. No rust. Just pure intent. He faced the Royals’ top of the order with a calm command that belied the moment, mixing in sweepers, cutters, and that devastating splitter that disappears like it’s falling off a cliff.
On his final pitch of the first inning, he unleashed a 102 mph four-seamer that was quickly turned into an inning-ending double play. Inning over. Crisis averted. The dugout exhaled.
In the bottom of the second, he settled in. Pop out, strike out, and line out. An easy 1-2-3 inning on just 14 pitches. His outing was over. His day was done. Another box was checked on his journey back to being a full-time starting pitcher.
For a player who’s already hit 29 home runs this season—leading the National League and sending Statcast machines into overdrive every night—his return to the mound has been a slow drip. A tease. One inning here. Eighteen pitches there. But with each outing, that picture sharpens. The unicorn gets closer to unleashing his full power.
The one who terrifies pitchers from the box and then comes out the next inning to terrify hitters from the rubber. The one who redefines what it means to be a baseball player in the modern age. The one who bends the game to his will.
The Dodgers are still being careful. Ohtani’s pitch count remains capped. His appearances, planned. He’s not being unleashed yet—but the leash is getting longer. And with every outing, his confidence grows. So does the possibility.
Imagine October in Los Angeles.
Ohtani starting on the mound in Game 1 of the NLDS or NLCS, and then homering to leadoff the bottom half of the inning. Or possibly coming out of the bullpen in the top of the ninth in a do-or-die Game 7. Changing the game from both sides of the ball like no one else can.
That’s the dream.
And now, it’s starting to feel real.