Shohei Ohtani Strikes Out Two, Hits 26th Home Run In Second Game As Pitcher

Shohei Ohtani made his second start on the mound this season, and the Dodgers' golden boy impressively struck out two Washington Nationals bats in a scoreless first inning.

Ohtani finished with a pitching line of one inning, two strikes, and no hits, runs or walks — throwing 18 pitches (12 strikes).

The Los Angeles Dodgers' unicorn also shone at the plate, going 3 for 4 with five RBI, a triple, and his 26th home run of the season — delivering the kind of performance expected from the $700 million star.

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - JUNE 22: Shohei Ohtani #17 of the Los Angeles Dodgers delivers a pitch to the plate in the first inning against the Washington Nationals at Dodger Stadium on June 22, 2025 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images)

The Dodgers continue to showcase Ohtani, drawing huge crowds to Dodger Stadium to witness the dual-threat icon in his two-way role for the first time this week.

On the mound, Ohtani's first strikeout came against Luis Garcia Jr., followed by Nathaniel Lowe. Ohtani was pulled after one inning, aligning with expectations of one to two innings pitched per game.

Against the San Diego Padres on Monday, Anthony Banda and Ben Casparius took over after Ohtani. On Sunday, Casparius again stepped in following Shohei’s brief appearance.

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - JUNE 22: Shohei Ohtani #17 of the Los Angeles Dodgers delivers a pitch to the plate in the first inning against the Washington Nationals at Dodger Stadium on June 22, 2025 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images)

On Sunday, Los Angeles overcame an early 3-0 deficit sparked by a Nathaniel Lowe home run that evaded Dodgers rookie Hyeseong Kim at center field. They surged back off two big-time HRs by Max Muncy, and won, 13-7. In both of Ohtani’s starts as a pitcher, the Dodgers secured victories, suggesting the return of their two-way star is boosting team confidence.