Shohei Ohtani pitches sharp first inning for Dodgers before driving in 5 runs at the plate

LOS ANGELES — Shohei Ohtani took another significant step toward his full capability on the mound while he threw one hitless inning Sunday.

And at the plate, the Dodgers' two-way superstar was once again at the peak of his powers.

Ohtani recorded two strikeouts in his second mound start for Los Angeles, allowing just one baserunner on an error. The three-time MVP then drove in five runs at the plate, hitting a three-run triple in the seventh before adding his NL-leading 26th homer in the eighth inning of the Dodgers' 13-7 victory over the Washington Nationals.

Ohtani is proceeding deliberately on his way back to longer weekly mound appearances, but the three-time MVP is encouraged by what he's been able to do in two short starts.

''I do feel like I have to work on some things,'' Ohtani said through his interpreter. ''But at the same time, I do feel like I can perform better, even better than I used to be able to perform at.''

Ohtani threw 18 pitches against Washington, recording 12 strikes with one wild pitch. After leadoff hitter CJ Abrams grounded out, Mookie Betts dropped James Wood's popup in the sun, but Ohtani struck out Luis García Jr. and Nathaniel Lowe to end it.

Ohtani's fastball topped out at 98.8 mph after hitting 100 in his first outing, and he finished both of his strikeouts with breaking balls.

''He was considerably better today, as far as the stuff, the life of the fastball, the command of his pitches,'' Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. ''Much better, so overall a really good outing.''

Roberts was referring to improvement since Ohtani's Dodgers mound debut Monday, when he allowed two hits and a run while throwing 28 pitches in an inning against San Diego in his first pitching appearance since 2023 with the Angels.

''It's going to be a gradual process,'' Ohtani said. ''I want to see improvements with the quality of the pitches that I'm throwing, and then also increasing the amount of pitches, so it's going to be gradual.''

Roberts and Ohtani both said Sunday that the Dodgers don't have a firm timeline to expand Ohtani's starts to full length, but he feels increasingly confident in his ability to go longer. Roberts said the Dodgers' pregame plan was to use Ohtani for just one inning against Washington, and Betts' error erased the small possibility of sending Ohtani back out for the second.

''Overall, I was able to relax much better compared to my last start,'' Ohtani said. ''That was the original plan, and I'm looking forward to adding more innings and more pitches.''

Ohtani had been in a minor slump at the plate over the past six games since his first mound start, going 4 for 23 with 11 strikeouts. He struck out again in his first two at-bats Sunday against Michael Soroka, who pitched five dominant innings before fading in the sixth.

But Ohtani ended his mini-skid with two emphatic extra-base hits in the late innings.

After drawing a walk in the sixth and scoring on Max Muncy's grand slam, he smashed a 101.3 mph ground ball into the right field corner for a bases-clearing triple. He added his two-run homer one inning later.

''Today was good,'' Roberts said. ''Hopefully it quiets the noise a little bit (about) the days that he pitches.''

The Dodgers are still determining how they will handle the day-to-day details of the dual pursuits of baseball's only serious two-way player in several decades.

Roberts acknowledged that Ohtani could move out of his customary leadoff spot in the Dodgers' lineup on the days when he pitches, particularly at home. While Ohtani has told Roberts he isn't bothered by pitching the first inning and then going straight to the on-deck circle to be the Dodgers' first batter in the bottom half, Roberts recognizes it's not ideal.

''He's said that he's completely fine with hitting leadoff (and) doesn't want to change,'' Roberts said. ''So I think that for now, we'll stay status quo, but coming out of this one, you could say maybe it might make more sense to hit second or third or fourth.''

Ohtani didn't pitch at all last season while recovering from arm surgery during his first season with the Dodgers under a 10-year, $700 million contract. He won his third MVP award while becoming the first player in baseball history with 50 homers and 50 stolen bases in a season, and the Dodgers won his first World Series championship.

Ohtani entered Sunday third in the majors with a .996 OPS, but some of his other offensive numbers have gone down slightly this season while he returned to a steady throwing program.

The Dodgers have no public concerns about Ohtani's production, remaining supportive of his two-way play — and they need his arm, given their season-long injury woes on the mound.

''I think right now he's good with one inning, and all these conversations we have with him, obviously,'' Roberts said. ''As time goes on, we'll get to a certain point, but there's no sense in rushing it right now.''

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