In a surprising turn of events, Shohei Ohtani left Wednesday night’s game in the fourth inning while pitching for the Los Angeles Dodgers. Medical trainers were called to the field as Ohtani, the team’s two-way superstar, was seen showing signs of potential pain. He had thrown six consecutive balls and had runners on first and third, leading to his exit during an at-bat.
Despite the initial concern, Ohtani returned to the dugout minutes later and eventually came back into the game to hit in the sixth inning, though he struck out. The cause of his departure was speculated to be cramping or tightness in his lower half, with ESPN suggesting this could be the reason for his temporary exit.
Ohtani, who made his return to pitching in June after a right elbow surgery that sidelined him as a pitcher for the entire 2024 season, has remained a focal point of debate among fans. Some argue for him to focus solely on hitting, while others suggest he might give up batting to become a dedicated pitcher.