Dodgers’ Shohei Ohtani exits start with cramping in right hip

CINCINNATI — Los Angeles Dodgers two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani is hopeful that he will be able to make his next mound start after his outing Wednesday night was cut short by cramping in his right hip.

Ohtani was scheduled to go four innings on a hot, humid night against the Cincinnati Reds, but he left without recording an out in the fourth after he threw six straight balls, including two consecutive wild pitches.

The 31-year-old reigning NL MVP said he started to cramp in the first inning.

“Just tried to work around it,” Ohtani said through an interpreter after the Dodgers’ 5-2 loss. “I was able to do so up until the third, and it didn’t quite work out in the fourth.”

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Ohtani and manager Dave Roberts both blamed the cramping on the weather. The temperature at first pitch was 90 degrees, with a heat index near 100.

Roberts went out with the trainer after Ohtani threw an 86.3 mph sweeper that was low and outside the strike zone for a 2-0 count to Spencer Steer. After a conference on the mound, Ohtani left with the trainer.

“I just saw a funky throw,” Roberts said. “The follow-through just didn’t look right. And then he threw another pitch, and I just didn’t see the finish the right way. It was very concerning because I didn’t know what it was. He said it was his hip. I talked to him, and he said it was the humidity. So I feel better knowing that.”

Ohtani, who leads the NL with 38 home runs, remained in the game at designated hitter but went 0-for-5 a day after he struck out four times. He hit a line drive to Cincinnati center fielder Will Benson for the final out.

“I don’t play defense. That helped,” Ohtani said of staying in as DH. “But at the same time we were playing a close game, and I wanted to help the team win.”

This was Ohtani’s seventh mound start in his comeback from Tommy John surgery on his right elbow, which occurred after the 2023 season. He did not pitch at all last season, his first for the Dodgers after signing a 10-year, $700 million contract, but he starred at DH — finishing with 54 homers and 59 stolen bases — and won his third MVP award.

Even though it was cut short, it still was Ohtani’s longest outing of his pitching comeback. He threw 51 pitches, 32 for strikes, and allowed two runs on five hits in three-plus innings. He struck out four and walked two.

“A good thing about today’s outing is my pitch count was where I wanted it to be. I think this is a step forward in a sense,” said Ohtani, who has a 2.40 ERA in 15 innings. “I didn’t feel great to be honest physically the past couple days.”

Ohtani has allowed four runs, three in the first inning. He has faced 63 batters, striking out 17 and walking five.

Ohtani’s most used pitch in his first six outings was the fastball (49%), followed by the sweeper (25%). Against the Reds, he threw only 14 fastballs and 29 sweepers. All eight of the Reds’ swing-and-misses came on the sweeper.

“Rather than pitch-type, it was manipulating the way I was throwing,” Ohtani said. “Just not trying to get too deep on my delivery. Just trying to focus on mechanics.”

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

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

As long as everything checks out, Ohtani’s next start would be Aug. 6 against St. Louis at Dodger Stadium.

“He’ll have a week and it will be at home, so there won’t be humidity to deal with,” Roberts said.

Ohtani might start having second thoughts though about facing the Reds on the mound. Before Wednesday, his last pitching appearance against Cincinnati was Aug. 23, 2023, for the Los Angeles Angels. He left in the second inning with a torn ligament in his elbow, an injury that led to his second Tommy John surgery.