The Los Angeles Dodgers saw both dominance and a late reminder of buildup limits from Shohei Ohtani in his final spring training outing.
Facing his former team, the Los Angeles Angels, Ohtani struck out 11 of the first 14 batters he faced before running into trouble in the fifth inning.
His final line showed both sides of the outing. Ohtani went just over four innings, allowing four hits and three earned runs with two walks and 11 strikeouts on 86 pitches. He also contributed at the plate, going 1-for-2.
Early dominance sets the tone
Ohtani looked fully in control through four innings, showcasing elite swing-and-miss stuff and sharp command.
His fastball and secondary pitches generated consistent whiffs, reinforcing expectations that he will be a key part of the Dodgers’ rotation to open the 2026 season.
The performance built on his first spring outing, where he reached 61 pitches and touched 99.9 mph, signaling his progression toward full workload readiness.
Velocity dip raises questions
The fifth inning told a different story.
After sitting at 79 pitches through four dominant frames, Ohtani returned to the mound and immediately showed signs of fatigue. He allowed three consecutive singles and saw a noticeable drop in velocity.
His four-seam fastball averaged 96.5 mph in this outing, down from 98.4 mph in his previous appearance. More notably, his velocity dipped further in the fifth inning, with fastballs registering in the 93–94 mph range.
That decline stood in contrast to the end of the fourth inning, when he was still reaching the mid-to-upper 90s.
Dodgers focused on workload buildup
While a sudden velocity drop can sometimes raise concern, this outing appears more tied to workload progression than injury.
Ohtani entered spring training with a unique ramp-up process after pitching in the World Baseball Classic and building up through bullpen sessions and simulated games.
The Dodgers extended him further than in his previous outing, likely to test his endurance ahead of the regular season.
Ready for Opening Day role
Despite the late stumble, Ohtani’s overall performance reinforced that he is close to full readiness.
The strikeout total and early dominance highlight his ceiling, while the fifth-inning fatigue underscores that he is still being stretched out for longer outings.
As the Dodgers prepare to begin the 2026 season, Ohtani remains a central piece of the rotation with the ability to dominate when fully built up.