The atmosphere in Dodger Stadium sparked with excitement as the crowd buzzed with anticipation.
It had been a while since they’d heard a sound like that.
On Wednesday night, Shohei Ohtani made his return from the injured list. In the bottom of the seventh inning, he stepped up and connected with a pitch that seemed to glide through the night air.
He really connected, hitting a 99 mph fastball from Padres pitcher Bradgley Rodriguez with an impressive exit velocity of 103.4 mph.
The crowd at Chavez Ravine held its breath in anticipation.
But then, Padres center fielder Jackson Merrill easily caught it near the warning track, capping what turned out to be a 384-foot drive.
In the end, the Dodgers lost to the Padres, 5-1. Ohtani’s swing showcased his current state: noticeably improved since his time on the injured list due to issues with his right arm and left knee. However, he still hasn’t quite returned to his typical form as the playoffs loom just around the corner.
“He certainly feels way better,” said Andrew Friedman, the president of baseball operations, before the game. “I think getting as many at-bats as he can to regain rhythm and timing before October will be key.”
In his first game back, Ohtani stepped to the plate four times. He started strong with a line-drive single on a 99 mph pitch in the first inning. In the third, he displayed better plate discipline by drawing a six-pitch walk, which was a welcome change after struggling before his stint on the injured list.
But he faltered in the fourth inning, striking out with the bases loaded—a critical moment missed as he swung and missed at a full-count sinker from Padres reliever David Morgan, after an earlier call of a run-scoring walk was overturned.
After his flyout in the seventh, Ohtani struck out again in the ninth against Padres closer Mason Miller, finishing the night at 1-for-4.
“He looked good,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts commented. “It just seemed like he wasn’t rushed at all, and I think he came through it pretty well.”
The most reassuring part? Ohtani looked physically well.
No signs of discomfort with his arm, and his swing remained fluid without awkward finishes. Although he didn’t clear the fence with that seventh-inning drive, it was still the most solid contact he’d made in nearly six weeks, as indicated by the exit velocity.
“If you look back at the last couple of weeks when he was active, he wasn’t really making solid contact,” Roberts noted. “Tonight seemed to indicate he’s in a good physical spot.”
The crucial question now is how much more Ohtani can progress in the upcoming weeks as they head into the playoffs. The Dodgers remain cautiously hopeful that the toughest parts of his ongoing injuries are, at last, behind him.
“There’s no doubt that his injuries impacted him,” Friedman acknowledged. “The fact he feels this good is definitely encouraging. Now it’s about maintaining that.”
Before his injury, Ohtani had been struggling offensively.
He had hit only 6-for-52 before being sidelined. Those weeks showed signs of pain and noticeable flaws in his swing mechanics. The hopes of him returning to pitching this season also diminished.
“A few weeks back,” Roberts recalled, “it was clear he couldn’t hit a fastball, he was struggling, and his swing seemed slower.”
For at least one night, there was a glimmer of hope for the Dodgers.
However, it’s important to clarify that Ohtani isn’t fully back yet.
Roberts was cautious about expectations before the game, noting it had been a while since Ohtani had played. Friedman also addressed the uncertainties surrounding the 32-year-old slugger, indicating they would closely monitor how he feels after facing “game-intensity at-bats” again.
“These situations often lack clear responses,” Friedman said when asked what version of Ohtani they might see in the playoffs. “Everyone at this time of year is managing their moments.”
That’s probably true. But just a couple of weeks ago, Ohtani seemed to be in a worse position health-wise.
That’s precisely why he went on the injured list. Why he missed six out of seven games, even before that. It’s why Wednesday was seen as a crucial test, with only five games left in the regular season for him to regain some “rhythm and timing” with his swing ahead of the playoffs.
“It’s go-time for all of us,” said Roberts beforehand. “I can’t predict if he’ll hit a home run tonight, but I do feel there will be a heightened focus. So I believe he’s in a good spot.”
For now, the Dodgers are simply pleased to see him looking better.
