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5 hours ago
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Shohei Ohtani's pitching return sees insane 71% ticket prices jump
The post Shohei Ohtani's pitching return sees insane 71% ticket prices jump appeared first on ClutchPoints. On a wild Sunday in Major League Baseball, the Los Angeles Dodgers made waves by revealing Shohei Ohtani would make his return to the mound on Monday night. Advertisement Ohtani will make his first start since August 23, 2023 as a member of the Los Angeles Angels. It'll be the first time he takes the mound as a member of the Dodgers and ticket prices are reflecting that. The average ticket price for Monday's Dodgers game against the San Diego Padres is $192, up 71% since it was announced, according to ESPN's Field Yates. Yates also says, per TickPick, the Dodgers sold four-times more tickets to the game compared to before. Though the Dodgers say Ohtani is not yet built up to be a full starter, he can function now as a multi-inning opener and go from there. He has been recovering from UCL surgery, functioning as a full-time DH last year and so far this year. Ohtani has been building up without pitching in rehab games, continuing to bat in the Majors for the reigning World Series champions. He began facing live batters in late May as his ramp-up accelerated. Advertisement 'The live, simulated or whatever sort of ran its course,' manager Dave Roberts told the media on Sunday. 'He's ready to make his debut on the mound.' Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani remains one of the game's elite hitters Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images Ohtani is coming off consecutive MVP campaigns, which included a 2024 season that was one of the best all-around seasons by a hitter ever. He became the only 50-50 player in baseball history, hitting 54 home runs and stealing 59 bases, all while leading the league in runs scored, RBI, on-base percentage and OPS. He hasn't missed a beat in 2025. Ohtani hasn't been as active on the basepaths with only 11 steals, but he's leading the National League in home runs (25) while maintaining his league-leading status in runs scored and OPS. Advertisement Speaking to reporters on Saturday, Ohtani expressed excitement about going back to being a two-way player. 'I do feel like just being the two-way player I used to be is the norm,' he said. 'Last year was the abnormal year for me, and it's about getting back to what I used to do.' Related: The big change Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani declined before first 2025 pitching start Related: Dodgers' Blake Snell takes another step toward injury return
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5 hours ago
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Dodgers' Dave Roberts sounds off on potential Shohei Ohtani All-Star pitching duties
The post Dodgers' Dave Roberts sounds off on potential Shohei Ohtani All-Star pitching duties appeared first on ClutchPoints. Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts made headlines by shutting down speculation about Shohei Ohtani potentially pitching in the MLB All-Star Game. While Ohtani's name carries major weight in both fan voting and league buzz, Roberts confirmed the two-way star will not take the mound in the Midsummer Classic. The Athletic's Fabian Ardaya reported the news on X, formerly known as Twitter, quoting Roberts' comments. The Dodgers' skipper, who is managing the National League All-Star squad this year, was clear about the decision. Advertisement 'Not that it was ever really a possibility, but Dave Roberts (who is managing the National League in the ASG) shot down the idea of Shohei Ohtani pitching in next month's All-Star Game.' Roberts' stance reflects a cautious, long-term approach. After undergoing elbow surgery in 2023 and shoulder surgery in late 2024, Ohtani only recently returned to the mound. He made brief one-inning appearances on June 18th against the San Diego Padres and June 22nd vs. the Washington Nationals. These outings were effective but short, suggesting the team is slowly ramping up his workload. With the Dodgers firmly in playoff contention and Ohtani vital to both their pitching rotation and batting lineup, the organization is opting to limit his exposure in non-essential appearances. Choosing rest and rehab over the All-Star Game aligns with the broader goal of maximizing Ohtani's impact for the remainder of the season. The two-way phenom is next expected to pitch on June 28th, when the Dodgers face the Kansas City Royals. While many fans were hopeful to see the two-way sensation showcase his elite pitching skills on a national stage, the team's priority remains his health. Advertisement The move also shows how the L.A. manager is balancing his dual responsibilities, managing the Dodgers' postseason hopes while overseeing the National League All-Star squad. While a spectacle like Ohtani pitching would generate excitement, Roberts emphasized that the team's long-term outlook comes first. Related: Dodgers pitcher comes dangerously close to scary situation Related: Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani already set another two-way record after return to mound
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5 hours ago
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Shohei Ohtani's Dodgers pitching return jacks up ticket prices
The post Shohei Ohtani's Dodgers pitching return jacks up ticket prices appeared first on ClutchPoints. The Los Angeles Dodgers were already one of the hottest tickets in the sport with Shohei Ohtani slugging home runs, but those seats will be in even greater demand when the three-time MVP toes the rubber for the first time since 2023 on Monday night. Advertisement USA Today's Bob Nightengale reported that ticket prices have skyrocketed in anticipation of Ohtani's return to the mound. Even though manager Dave Roberts only expects him to throw only one or two innings as an opener, Dodgers fans are ready to see a preview of what his full abilities could bring to Chavez Ravine. 'Just how excited are Dodgers fans to see Shohei Ohtani make his Dodgers debut tonight on the mound?,' Nightingale tweeted. 'Ticket prices have spiked by 174% since the announcement that Ohtani will be opener and pitch 1 or 2 innings, per @TickPick. The get-in price is $140 compared to $51 on Friday.' Ohtani has not pitched since 2023 and has been recovering from a UCL tear in his right elbow. When he was able to pitch, the Oshu native was one of the game's most commanding arms. He holds a career 3.01 ERA and was fourth in Cy Young voting in 2022 after posting a 2.33 ERA across 166 innings of work. That same season, Ohtani ranked in the 94th percentile in K%, the 84th percentile in Hard Hit%, and the 100th percentile in Breaking Run Value. Advertisement 'He's ready to pitch in a major league game,' Roberts told reporters after his team's 5-4 win over the San Francisco Giants at Dodger Stadium on Sunday night. 'He let us know that.' The Dodgers won the 2024 World Series without Ohtani's two-way status, but LA's 2025 rotation has already been impacted by a number of injuries. Roki Sasaki, Blake Snell, and Tyler Glasnow have all missed significant time already, and it is not clear if they will be themselves upon their return. Ohtani's availability will help potentially sellout Dodger Stadium tonight, but his presence on the mound could become a necessity more than a luxury if LA's injury woes continue to plague their rotation as the summer heats up. Related: Shohei Ohtani's pitching return sees insane 71% ticket prices jump Related: Dodgers' Mookie Betts drops 'crazy' reaction to Red Sox's Rafael Devers trade
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10 hours ago
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Far from their best, Dodgers find a way to beat Royals and move into MLB wins lead
Dodgers starting pitcher Dustin May delivers during the first inning of a 5-4 win over the Kansas City Royals on Friday. (Charlie Riedel / Associated Press) Dave Roberts has a high bar for his $400 million baseball team. Sure, the Dodgers entered Friday winners of 13 of their 17, tied for the best overall record in baseball, and leading the National League West by six games. Advertisement Sure, they already have one guaranteed All-Star in Shohei Ohtani, and seven other finalists who advanced to the second stage of fan voting that will begin next week. But, in the eyes of their manager, 'I still just don't believe we're playing our best baseball,' Roberts said Friday afternoon. 'I don't think we've played complete baseball for a stretch.' Read more: Why Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman have struggled at the plate lately for the Dodgers On Friday night, the Dodgers still weren't at their best. Dustin May managed just four innings in a four-run start. The lineup produced only four total hits. Teoscar Hernández made a defensive blunder in the outfield. And the bullpen danced in and out of trouble down the stretch. Advertisement But right now, amid this soft portion of the team's schedule, flawed performances have often still been enough. And in Friday's 5-4 win over the badly slumping Kansas City Royals, that once again proved to be the case. Shohei Ohtani hits a home run in the first inning against the Royals on Friday. (Charlie Riedel / Associated Press) For all the Dodgers' shortcomings, they did just enough to compensate in a series opener at Kauffman Stadium. May gave up a run in the first after letting three straight batters reach with two outs … but not before Ohtani opened the scoring with a leadoff blast. Hernández let a hard-hit but very-much-catchable line drive get over his head in right field in the third, fueling a three-run Royals rally that was punctuated by Bobby Witt Jr.'s two-run blast … but that was sandwiched by a two-run Max Muncy homer in the second, and a game-tying triple from Ohtani in the fifth. Advertisement Mookie Betts eventually put the Dodgers in front one at-bat after Ohtani's triple, singling him home to give the Dodgers a 5-4 lead. And though May's high pitch count forced him to exit early against the Royals (38-44), a worn-down Dodgers bullpen patched together five scoreless frames, escaping their biggest jam in the ninth when closer Tanner Scott induced a game-ending double-play with the bases loaded. It wasn't pretty, but it was still enough to move the Dodgers into sole possession of the best record in the majors at 52-31. That extended stretch of dominance is still eluding them. But for now, they're finding ways to win anyway. Sign up for more Dodgers news with Dodgers Dugout. Delivered at the start of each series. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
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14 hours ago
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Watch Shohei Ohtani secure first two strikeouts for Dodgers since return from injury
The post Watch Shohei Ohtani secure first two strikeouts for Dodgers since return from injury appeared first on ClutchPoints. The Los Angeles Dodgers have been competing with a less-than-healthy pitching staff throughout the season. They have slowly but surely regaining their health, and superstar Shohei Ohtani has returned to the mound. He is perhaps the best pitching weapon the Dodgers have. He was the opener for Los Angeles Sunday against the visiting Washington Nationals, and he struck out his first two batters of the season. With one out and James Wood on first base as a result of a throwing error by Mookie Betts, Ohtani struck out Luis Garcia. He closed out the inning by fanning Nate Lowe. Advertisement This was Ohtani's second pitching assignment of the season for manager Dave Roberts. The Dodgers will increase the workload as the two-way superstar gets healthier, but the last thing the Dodgers manager wants to see is Ohtani suffer another injury prior to the most critical portion of the season. The Dodgers were in control of the game against the Nationals after a late-inning comeback. The Dodgers trailed 3-0 going into the bottom of the sixth inning, but they rallied with 4 runs in the sixth inning, 7 in the seventh and 2 more in the eighth inning. Muncy delivers huge offensive game for Dodgers Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images While the game was going the Nationals' way until the bottom of the sixth inning, Dodgers third baseman Max Muncy keyed the Los Angeles comeback. He belted a grand slam in the sixth inning and then added a three-run home run in the seventh inning. Advertisement Ohtani was once again a major offensive factor for the Dodgers. He was 2 for 4 as the designated hitter, scoring three times and knocking in five runs. He tripled with the bases load in the seventh inning. The Nationals rallied with four runs in the top of the ninth inning, but the Dodgers held on for a 13-7 triumph. Related: Dodgers' Max Muncy replicates bonkers MLB feat last done in 1951 Related: Dodgers stars Andy Pages, Will Smith help All-Star cases with solo homers vs. Nationals
