Shohei Ohtani throws fastest pitch of career at 101.7 mph in 3rd mound start for Dodgers
Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Shohei Ohtani throws during the first inning of a baseball game against the Kansas City Royals, Saturday, June 28, 2025, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Shohei Ohtani threw the fastest pitch of his career at 101.7 mph and worked two efficient innings in his third mound start for the Los Angeles Dodgers, allowing one hit and one walk against the Kansas City Royals on Saturday.
It was the first start of more than one inning this season for the two-way superstar, who is working as an opener as he eases his way back into pitching.
The three-time MVP did not pitch last season, his first with the Dodgers, while recovering from Tommy John surgery. He made 86 mound starts over five seasons with the Los Angeles Angels, going 38-19 with a 3.01 ERA.
On Saturday, Ohtani threw first-pitch strikes to all seven batters he faced and finished with 27 pitches, 20 for strikes.
He allowed a one-out single to Bobby Witt Jr. in the first and walked Maikel Garcia before throwing the 101.7 mph fastball on an 0-2 count to Vinnie Pasquantino, who grounded into a double play.
Ohtani retired the side in order in the second, fanning rookie Jac Caglianone on an 89 mph slider.
The 30-year-old has 29 homers this season as Los Angeles' primary designated hitter.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
National Post
2 hours ago
- National Post
Chris Bassitt bombs as Blue Jays rocked in 15-1 Beantown blowout
The close-up camera shots in the dugout of Blue Jays pitching coach Pete Walker often tell the story of what's going on with the team and on Saturday they spoke volumes. Article content In fact, the zoomed-in pictures came early at Fenway Park as Jays starting pitcher Chris Bassitt was getting hammered by the Red Sox, eventually leaving after two-plus miserable innings. Article content Article content Yes, the Fenway Follies that so often mark games at the Boston baseball cathedral can — and often do — go both ways. Article content So, a day after blanking the Bosox 9-0, the home side turned the tables with a 15-1 blowout, handing the Jays their most lopsided defeat, not just of the season but since the New York Yankees beat them by the same margin on Sept. 20, 2020. It was pretty much as ugly as it sounded, too, especially early on for the veteran right-hander Bassitt. Article content And the disastrous outing was the latest case study of the fact that there are times when almost anything goes at Fenway. Prior to Saturday, Bassitt owned a skimpy 1.89 ERA over five starts in Boston, his lowest at any big-league park. Article content But a 35-pitch first inning in which the Red Sox jumped out to a 3-0 lead — and all nine hitters made a plate appearance — set a miserable tone for a confident Jays team that allowed the plummeting Sox to snap their six-game losing streak. Article content How bad was the second-shortest start of Bassitt's career? Well, 13 of the 19 batters he faced reached base and it was just the third time in his career that he's allowed eight earned runs or more, this after tossing at least six innings in each of his previous four starts. Article content All six of the Red Sox runs that were scored while Bassitt was still on the mound came with two outs as the usually crafty hurler showed a complete lack of finish. The eight runs Bassitt was on the hook for by the time of his premature exit — with none out and the bases loaded in the third — came as he allowed eight hits, four walks and one plunked batter. Bassitt's ERA ballooned from 3.61 to 4.29 as he recorded just six outs from the 70 pitches he threw, only 44 of them for strikes. Article content The early ineptitude made the middle match of the three-game weekend series a dud from the outset. By the time the Red Sox had stopped thumping, their 15 runs surpassed the 13 the Jays surrendered in that ugly shutout loss to the Rays in Tampa on May 25. Article content As well, the previous time they've allowed more than 15 runs in a game was a year ago when they were shellacked in a 16-8 loss to the New York Yankees at the Rogers Centre that launched the second half of the miserable last-place 2024 season.
CTV News
3 hours ago
- CTV News
Abreu hits 3-run homer to ignite Red Sox 15-1 blowout over Blue Jays
Boston Red Sox's Wilyer Abreu gestures after hitting a home run during the first inning of a baseball game against the Toronto Blue Jays, Saturday, June 28, 2025, in Boston. (AP Photo/Mark Stockwell) BOSTON (AP) — Wilyer Abreu hit a three-run homer in the first inning to jump start Boston's offence, Ceddanne Rafaela added a two-run shot in the sixth, and the Red Sox snapped a season-high six-game losing streak on Saturday with a 15-1 victory over the Toronto Blue Jays. Romy Gonzalez also had a two-run homer for the Red Sox, who halted their worst skid since September 2022. Wearing their yellow alternate jerseys a day after getting blitzed 9-0 on four hits in the series opener, the Red Sox scored three runs in each of the initial three innings against Chris Bassitt (7-4). They scored three in the sixth when Rafaela hit his drive over the Green Monster. Lucas Giolito (4-1) gave up an unearned run and six hits over seven innings to win for the third time in four starts. Bassitt lasted two-plus innings, getting tagged for nine runs, eight earned, with eight hits and four walks. Abreu drove in four runs, while Trevor Story, Abraham Toro, Rafaela and Gonzalez each had two RBIs. The Blue Jays were held to six hits and lost for the third time in nine meetings with Boston this season. KEY MOMENT Toro singled on the 10th pitch with two outs in the first, Carlos Narváez singled on the next pitch before Abreu drove the following pitch around the right-field foul pole. KEY STAT The game matched the most runs Bassitt allowed in a game over his 11 major league seasons. He also gave up nine in his first start with Toronto on April 2, 2023. UP NEXT Blue Jays LHP Eric Lauer (4-1, 2.21 ERA) is set to face struggling Red Sox RHP Walker Buehler (5-5, 6.29) in the series finale Sunday. Guaranteed $21.05 in a one-year free-agent contract he signed during the off-season, the 30-year-old Buehler is 1-3 with a 7.62 ERA in his last five starts. ___ By Ken Powtak, The Associated Press
National Post
3 hours ago
- National Post
Oilers focus on skill, competitiveness in late rounds of NHL draft
Article content Their other picks in rounds six and seven were the right-catching Salonen, 19 — the fourth straight year, after Finn Eemil Vinni, Nathaniel Day and Samuel Jonsson, and 10th time in the last 12 drafts the Oilers have taken a goalie and with their second-last pick of the draft — and the centre Park. His uncle Richard played 738 NHL games. Article content Salonen was goalie of the year and top player in the U20 junior league in Finland with a .933 save percentage and a 24-1 record for Rauman Lukko this past season. He was also 9-2 in the playoffs. Article content Park, 19, who is from Hermosa Beach, about 40 minutes from the Peacock Theatre in Los Angeles where the draft was held, was actually in the seats wearing a hoodie and shorts when his name was called, and got a loud cheer when the Oilers called his name. He once played for the Los Angeles Jr. Kings, and last season was with Green Bay in the USHL, notching 33 goals and 66 points in 55 games, and later with the Calgary Hitmen for three playoff games. He's also going to U of Michigan in the fall. Article content Article content 'He's been a big scorer going back to when he was at Shattuck (St. Mary's prep). I've known about him for a while. For whatever reason, he's been passed over, but we feel he's got a lot of game. Later in the draft, you're looking for guys with a lot of upside,' said Bowman. Article content Apart from the Oilers picks, the junior Oil Kings' best player, defenceman Blake Fiddler, was Seattle's first selection in Round 2. The Kraken traded with Philadelphia to move from 38 to 36 to take the former NHL winger Vern Fiddler's son. Fiddler was projected to be a late first-rounder but sat through five hours at Peacock Theatre in L.A. without his name called. Article content It was a nervous time but Fiddler shrugged off the rejection Friday. Article content 'Me and my dad always say the draft doesn't matter. He was undrafted. It doesn't matter where you go, it's the work you put in after,' said the 6-foot-5, 220-pound 17-year-old, who played for USA at the U18 worlds this spring. Article content Vern played 877 NHL games. Article content Why did the right-shot, big-body Fiddler get through the first round? Article content Article content 'I think teams maybe want to see a little more bite to his game,' said Oil Kings GM Kirt Hill, who chatted with the Kraken before Round 2 started and had a feeling they would try to trade and move up to take Fiddler. Article content Can you teach aggressiveness? Or is inside a player? Article content Fiddler will figure it out. Article content 'I think not going in the first round might be motivation,' said Hill. Article content This 'n that: The Oilers hope to get Lewandowski over from Germany, and maybe Salonen from Finland for Monday's development camp … Good move by Vancouver, taking Sherwood Park's Braeden Cootes with the 15th overall pick. Cootes was captain of Seattle Thunderbirds. 'An all-around guy who can play in all situations,' said Hill of the 18-year-old centre … Former Oilers captain Shawn Horcoff's son Will, who plays at University of Michigan, went 24th overall to Pittsburgh. You're entitled to say 'Horc has a son old enough for the draft?' Yup, Shawn is 46. The scouting book on Will Horcoff is big kid, nice hands, but has to work on his feet. They said the same thing about Shawn's footspeed, of course. Shawn, the assistant GM in Detroit, played 1,008 NHL games with a through-the-roof work ethic … Fort Saskatchewan's Kale Dach, who had 87 points in 54 games for Sherwood Park Crusaders this past season, was drafted by Pittsburgh in Round 7. He is not related to Kirby Dach. Article content
