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Dodgers’ Shohei Ohtani throws hardest pitch of his career vs. Royals
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- Dodgers’ Shohei Ohtani throws hardest pitch of his career vs. Royals
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The post Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani throws hardest pitch of his career vs. Royals appeared first on ClutchPoints .
Unicorn. Shotime. Nito-Ryu. No matter what you call him, Shohei Ohtani is one of the most uniquely gifted athletes in MLB, nay, the world, with a collection of tools the likes of which few could even imagine.
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As a hitter, Ohtani is among the best bombers in the business, with 29 home runs and counting in his second season with the Los Angeles Dodgers . While Ohtani aims for power more often than not, he's also one of the Dodgers' top extra-base hitters, and in 2024, he joined the 40/40 club, becoming one of the rare players who steal as many bases as they destroy dingers.
And now, as a pitcher, Ohtani is reminding fans in Los Angeles and beyond just how special he is on the mound, too, with the MVP throwing his third game of the season against the Kansas City Royals in impressive fashion.
Before the game, skipper Dave Roberts noted that the Dodgers would try to get Ohtani past the first inning for the first time this year, assuming things went well for the two-way star. While Ohtani did have some struggles early on, getting two of his first three batters on base – including his first walk of the season – "Shotime" launched the fastest heater of his career, with Vinnie Pasquantino hitting the 101.7 mph fastball into a double-play.
Ohtani then pitched the second inning without as much excitement, with the No. 17 retiring the side in order on 13 pitches with Salvador Perez lining out to center, Jac Caglianone striking out, and Nick Loftin fouling out to Dalton Rushing .
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Will Shohei Ohtani eventually give the Dodgers a "full game," making it into, or even past, the fifth inning on a regular basis? Potentially so, but for now, he's once again proving why he's one of the most exciting players in MLB, as even in limited action, Ohtani can still do things with a baseball – both throwing and hitting it – that few others could even dream of.
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