by Cary Osborne
Non-traditional starting pitching has been a part of Dodger starting pitching long enough to make it hard to define what “non-traditional starting pitching” even is.
But this year might redefine it.
The Dodgers have used 16 different starting pitchers, they’ve had eight opener/bullpen games and they’ve had a whole different category — four Shohei Ohtani starts.
Ohtani looked good in the sprint — again.
But the Dodgers dropped a second game in a row to the Astros — this one 6–4 on Saturday at Dodger Stadium.
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Ohtani, on his 31st birthday, didn’t factor in the decision.
He faced six batters over two innings. He allowed a leadoff single to third baseman Isaac Paredes, who was immediately erased on a double-play groundout by Cam Smith.
Ohtani struck out the side in the second inning — slider, sweeper, sweeper.
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He has faced 22 batters this season — the equivalent of a Major League start. He has allowed five baserunners — four hits (all singles) and a walk and has struck out six in six innings.
Manager Dave Roberts said there is a likelihood that Ohtani gets another start before the All-Star Break, which begins July 14.
As far as how Ohtani’s progression looks as a starting pitcher, Roberts said there is the possibility — with the time remaining — that Ohtani gets more length out of his starts.
“If you look at where he’s at now with the calendar, I think that him getting to five, six innings is certainly feasible,” Roberts said. “Don’t know when that’s going to be, but I can see a natural progression.”
Ohtani is being patient.
“In a rehab progression, it’s really important to just take one step at a time,” he said. “There are times when I may be able to go another inning, but it’s really important to not take unnecessary risk and make sure that I can progress consistently. … So I’m following what the team is also asking me as well.”
Dodgers drop a second to Astros, but Ohtani keeps progressing on the mound was originally published in Dodger Insider on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.