Ohtani leaves mound with trainer after throwing 6 straight balls

CINCINNATI (AP) — Los Angeles Dodgers two-way famous person Shohei Ohtani left the mound accompanied by a coach throughout the fourth inning in opposition to the Cincinnati Reds on Wednesday night time.

Ohtani threw six straight balls — together with two consecutive wild pitches — and, after a convention on the mound, departed with a 2-0 depend in opposition to Spencer Steer.

The 31-year-old remained within the sport at designated hitter. He struck out wanting in opposition to Reds starter Nick Martinez within the sixth inning.

It was Ohtani’s seventh mound begin in his comeback from surgical procedure on his proper elbow, which occurred after the 2023 season. He didn’t pitch in any respect final season, his first for the Dodgers after signing a 10-year, $700 million contract, however he starred at DH — ending with 54 homers and 59 stolen bases — and gained his third MVP award.

Ohtani leads the Nationwide League with 38 homers this season.

Ohtani would possibly begin having second ideas about going through the Reds on the mound. His final pitching look in opposition to Cincinnati was Aug. 23, 2023, for the Los Angeles Angels. He left within the second inning with a torn ligament in his elbow, an damage that led to his second Tommy John surgical procedure.

The Dodgers’ plan for Wednesday was for Ohtani to throw 4 innings, which might have been the longest outing of his pitching comeback.

He threw 51 pitches, 32 for strikes, and allowed two runs on 5 hits in three-plus innings. He struck out 4 and walked two.

Noelvi Marte led off the Reds’ fourth with a single and superior to 3rd on Ohtani’s two wild pitches to Tyler Stephenson, who then walked.

Ohtani threw two balls to Steer and was changed by Anthony Banda, who walked Steer and gave up Will Benson’s sacrifice fly that tied the sport at 2-all.