Watch: Shohei Ohtani Left Mad at Umpire Following Strikeout Call in 9-1 Loss Against Brewers

Ohtani is usually the calm and composed type of player on the field. Despite getting hit by the pitch in a recent game against the San Diego Padres by Robert Suarez , he would remain cool.

He would play the peacemaker between the two sides and even shook hands with the pitcher after that incident. So to see him being mad at a strikeout call was a rare feat.

The Dodgers would end up losing 9-1 and drop their 4th straight game. They will look to even up the series and break their losing run on Tuesday.

Shohei Ohtani’s hitting takes a dip following return to pitching

Last month marked Shohei Ohtani’s long-awaited return to pitching. The 2024 National League MVP had not thrown a pitch in an official game since August 2023. While he has been used sparingly since then, his hitting has taken a dip.

Before he resumed pitching, Ohtani had a slash line of .297/.393/.642. Though he has managed to maintain his high average of .281, he has a slash line of .200/.333/.486 since he went back to his 2-way playing style.

It was likely that his hitting numbers would come down a bit once he started pitching again. Earlier this year, former San Francisco Giants star Barry Bonds expressed that he should remain a designated hitter (DH) and not resume pitching.

In 2024, Ohtani worked only as a DH as he came back from a shoulder surgery. In that campaign, he broke several records and even founded the 50-50 club by becoming the first player to hit 50 home runs and steal 50 bases. He ended the regular season with 54 home runs, 58 stolen bases, 130 RBI, while hitting at a .310 average.

Dodgers unwilling to take risks regarding Shohei Ohtani in terms of pitching

After he penned down a massive 10-year, $700 million deal in December 2023, fans were eager to see two-way star Shohei Ohtani operating in full flow. Almost 18 months after that deal, Ohtani made his official pitching debut for the team. However, they are still using him with caution and not taking any unnecessary risks.

This past Saturday, he marked his 4th start of the 2025 season. On the day he celebrated his 31st birthday, the 5-time MLB All-Star threw 2 scoreless innings and picked up 3 strikeouts.

In the 4 games he has started, he has only pitched a total of 6 innings. In his he has given up 1 run and has 6 strikeouts with a low ERA of 1.50. He has been used more as an opener than a starting pitcher, leading some to wonder when he would throw 5 or more innings.

As per the Los Angeles Times, Ohtani expressed that it was important to take one step at a time.

In a rehab progression, it’s really important to just take one step at a time. There are times when I may be able to go another inning, but it’s really important not to take unnecessary risks and make sure that I can progress consistently.

So, despite the pitching woes the team is having at the moment, Ohtani is unlikely to go long and pitch around 5 to 6 innings.