Introduction to the Game
Dave Roberts described it as an easy decision. If only it hadn’t come with such disastrous consequences. In the middle of the fifth inning Tuesday night, Shohei Ohtani returned to the Dodgers’ dugout after a clean inning of work on the mound. Waiting for him at the top step was manager Dave Roberts, wanting to ask how he felt after only his second five-inning start of the season.
The Decision to Pull Ohtani
With any other pitcher, what happened next would have been simple. Over his five innings against the Philadelphia Phillies, Ohtani had not given up a hit. He had thrown only 68 pitches. And he was flashing the kind of dominance that would have made a no-hitter feel like a real possibility. With any other pitcher, Roberts would have extended the leash. Ohtani, however, is not like any other pitcher. He is a two-way star, coming off a second career Tommy John surgery, who has been managed with kid gloves and bubblewrap in his return to pitching duties this year.
Ohtani’s Performance
Ohtani started his comeback by pitching one inning, then two, then so on until he built up to five. Weeks ago, the team — in consultation with team doctors, Ohtani’s agent and the reigning MVP himself — decided to avoid pushing him past the five-inning mark until at least October. His health, both on the bump and at the plate, remains the priority. Thus, while Ohtani told Roberts he still felt good, Roberts said he never had any thought of sending him out for the sixth. His question, he later explained, was only to ascertain information for future decision-making over Ohtani’s workload. As far as Tuesday was concerned? “He wasn’t gonna go back out,” Roberts said.
The Bullpen Collapse
By not sending Ohtani back out, of course, the Dodgers rolled the dice with their ever-faulty bullpen. And in one of the group’s worst performances this year, they yielded nine runs over the next four innings in a gut-punch of a 9-6 defeat. “We’ve been very steadfast in every situation as far as innings for [Ohtani’s] usage — from one inning to two innings to three to four to five. We haven’t deviated from that,” Roberts said. After pulling Ohtani with a four-run lead, the Dodgers watched their relief corps melt down in predictable, reminiscent fashion.
The Phillies’ Comeback
Justin Wrobleski gave up five consecutive hits with one out in the sixth, including a three-run home run to Brandon Marsh that broke open the inning. Edgardo Henriquez made matters worse, replacing Wrobleski — amid a chorus of boos directed at Roberts — later in the inning only to give up another long ball to Max Kepler. By the time it was over, the Phillies had scored six runs to take the lead. And though the Dodgers would battle back to tie the score in the eighth, the bullpen faltered again in the ninth, when Blake Treinen gave up a decisive three-run, two-out home run to Rafael Marchán in the Phillies’ eventual 9-6 win.
Ohtani’s Dominance
For the five innings Tuesday, Ohtani displayed utter dominance against the only team to have already clinched a division title. His fastball was playing up, eclipsing 100 mph seven times and topping out at 101.7 mph. His secondary stuff was electric, a mix of sliders and sweepers and curveballs and splitters that kept the Phillies off balance and able to make only benign contact. After a two-out walk to Bryce Harper in the first inning, Ohtani retired the final 13 he faced.
Conclusion
The decision to pull Ohtani after five innings may have been made with his health in mind, but it ultimately led to the Dodgers’ downfall. The bullpen’s collapse was a harsh reminder of the team’s struggles in relief pitching. Despite Ohtani’s dominant performance, the Dodgers were unable to secure a win, wasting his no-hit masterpiece.
FAQs
Q: Why was Shohei Ohtani pulled after five innings?
A: Ohtani was pulled after five innings as a precautionary measure to protect his health, as he is coming off a second career Tommy John surgery.
Q: How did the Dodgers’ bullpen perform after Ohtani was pulled?
A: The Dodgers’ bullpen yielded nine runs over the next four innings, leading to a 9-6 defeat.
Q: What was the significance of Ohtani’s performance?
A: Ohtani displayed utter dominance, throwing five no-hit innings and flashing 100 mph fastballs, making him a strong contender for the Cy Young award.
Q: What was the final score of the game?
A: The final score was 9-6 in favor of the Philadelphia Phillies.
