1 of 5 | Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Shohei Ohtani allowed nine hits and five runs over four innings in a loss to the Colorado Rockies on Wednesday in Denver. File Photo by Jim Ruymen/UPI | License Photo
Shohei Ohtani took a 93-mph line drive to his right thigh, requiring a mound visit from trainers during a Los Angeles Dodgers loss to the Colorado Rockies.
The sequence occurred in the bottom of the fourth inning of the 8-3 setback Wednesday in Denver. Ohtani, who departed from the mound an inning later, has a scheduled off day Thursday and is expected to return Friday.
“My intention is just making sure I get my treatment, and the goal is to make sure that I’m back to normal again,” Ohtani told reporters.
Ohtani allowed two runs in the bottom of the second and the Rockies held that lead into the bottom of the fourth. Left fielder Jordan Beck started the half inning with a single to right field. First baseman Warming Bernabel hit the next pitch to left for an RBI double off Ohtani.
The Dodgers star proceeded to allow two more singles, putting two runners on for Orlando Arcia. The Rockies third baseman whiffed on two sliders from Ohtani to start the exchange. He connected on Ohtani’s third offering, crushing that slider right up the middle and drilling Ohtani’s thigh, resulting in a smack that could be heard on the broadcast.
Ohtani, who fell to the ground, got off his feet and chased the ball near the first base line. He decided not to throw to first base, as Arcia was already there.
Ohtani limped back to the mound and grimaced in pain. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts and trainers spoke to Ohtani before deciding to keep him in the game.
He allowed an RBI single two at-bats later before escaping the inning with a strikeout of shortstop Ezequiel Tovar. The Dodgers replaced Ohtani with relief pitcher Edgardo Henriquez in the next inning. He stayed in the game as a designated hitter, but never came to the plate. The Dodgers brought in pinch hitter Alex Call as his replacement in the top of the eighth.
Ohtani allowed nine hits and five runs over four innings to drop to 0-1 this season. He went 1 for 2 with a walk at the plate.
“I put the team in a bad spot,” Ohtani said. “It was just a very regrettable outing. I wish I could have done better.”
The Dodgers star is now hitting .285 with 44 home runs and 83 RBIs over 125 games this season. He owns a 4.61 ERA over 10 starts. Ohtani told reporters after the game that he was glad the ball missed his knee and he avoided the “worst-case scenario.”
“I got hit by a pitch in the same spot [earlier this year],” Ohtani said. “Right now, it feels pretty good. I’m going to do everything in my ability to make sure that it doesn’t affect me moving forward.”
Rockies starter Tanner Gordon allowed four hits and one run over six innings to improve to 4-5 this season. Goodman went 3 for 5 with three RBIs in the victory. Beck also went 3 for 5 for the Rockies.
Arcia went 1 for 2 with two RBIs, two runs scored and a walk.
The Dodgers (72-55) sit in first place in the National League West, one game ahead of the second-place San Diego Padres (71-56). They will take on the last-place and MLB-worst Rockies (37-90) in a series finale at 3:10 p.m. EDT Thursday in Los Angeles.
The Dodgers will face the Padres in the opening game of a division showdown Friday in San Diego. Those three games will be their final meetings this season.
