Shohei Ohtani injury watch: Dodgers superstar removed as pitcher vs. Reds

After just 51 pitches, and 6 consecutive balls, Shohei Ohtani was removed by the Dodgers’ training staff against the Reds

Shohei Ohtani missed the end of the 2023 season and the entire 2024 campaign as a pitcher, as he worked his way back from a UCL injury in his right elbow. After all that time, the Los Angeles Dodgers superstar returned to the bump this year to resume pitching duties.

However, at least for one night, the Dodgers are hitting the pause button on that role, hopefully only as a precautionary measure.

Ohtani was on the mound Wednesday night as Los Angeles took on the Cincinnati Reds, and in the bottom of the fourth inning, he gave up an infield single to Noelvi Marte to start the frame.

Then, Ohtani could not find the plate. A pair of wild pitches brought Marte to third, and after throwing his sixth consecutive ball — missing badly on most of them according to Dodgers beat writer Fabian Ardaya — coaches and trainers came out of the dugout to remove Ohtani from the game.

You can see the moment the Dodgers staff came to get Ohtani here:

As noted, Ohtani was removed after just 51 pitches.

Ohtani was dealing earlier in the game, mixing up his fastball with a variety of breaking stuff, including this 86-mph sweeper:

These were his last six pitches from Ohtani, and it does seem like he is dealing with some upper-body discomfort after the final two:

Ohtani, for the moment, remains in the game as the designated hitter.

Update:

This is a developing story and will be updated.