PITTSBURGH (AP) — Shohei Ohtani prefers to stay out of his catchers’ decision-making process.
According to the Los Angeles Dodgers star, his role while pitching is simply to deliver the ball, leaving it to the players behind home plate to determine if they should question an umpire’s ball or strike ruling.
However, that hands-off approach may have contributed to Ohtani and the Dodgers’ shocking 9-8 defeat against the Pittsburgh Pirates on Wednesday evening.
Los Angeles appeared comfortable when Ohtani took the mound for the seventh inning, marking only his third time doing so this season. The Dodgers held a five-run advantage following Ryan Ward’s first career grand slam, and Ohtani looked positioned to secure his fifth consecutive victory.
But everything fell apart quickly, an unusual occurrence for the two-time defending champions and baseball’s premier talent.
Pirates newcomer Tyler Callihan got a base hit. Jake Mangum made it to first on a swinging bunt. Despite this, Ohtani and the blister affecting his right hand that has temporarily reduced his split-fingered fastball usage felt confident when Pittsburgh second baseman Brandon Lowe came to bat.
Ohtani immediately found himself in a 3-0 hole, with the opening and third deliveries being questionable decisions on 98 mph fastballs that home plate umpire Felix Neon called balls. Catcher Dalton Rushing chose not to challenge, and with only one challenge left, Ohtani thought the risk probably wasn’t worthwhile.
Lowe immediately punished Ohtani, connecting on a fastball over the plate for a two-run double that concluded Ohtani’s pitching performance and sparked a five-run comeback against the Dodger relief pitchers in the eighth that delivered the Pirates what may be their most surprising victory of the year.
Ohtani, who gave up season-worst totals in hits (six), runs (four) and earned runs (three), found himself wondering afterward if he should have signaled for a review earlier in the confrontation by tapping his cap for the ABS system to examine the call.
“I usually let the catchers make that determination,” he said. “But looking back, I think situationally, how important it was that at-bat, looking back I think I could have done a few challenges.”
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts described questioning pitch calls as an “inexact science” and, similar to Ohtani, prefers allowing the players with the clearest view in the ballpark to make those choices. Additionally, if the umpire’s decision was upheld, Los Angeles would lose their remaining challenges for the final innings.
Furthermore, how frequently do Ohtani and the Los Angeles relief corps surrender a five-run advantage? Rarely. Even following Lowe’s double and a fielding mistake by third baseman Max Muncy that let Lowe cross home plate, the Dodgers maintained a two-run edge entering the eighth.
Los Angeles came into the evening with an impressive 36-3 record when ahead after seven innings. Callihan — who connected for his first major league home run earlier in the contest with a 427-foot blast off Ohtani — put the Pirates in front with a three-run shot in the eighth. Spencer Horwitz followed with a two-run homer to provide Pittsburgh the breathing room it required after Ohtani launched a two-run home run in the top of the ninth to narrow the gap to one.
“You’re not going to face too many guys like that,” Pirates manager Don Kelly said. “There’s one. It’s ridiculous what he’s able to do.”
Even though Ohtani displayed minor signs of weakness during his debut appearance at PNC Park. Ohtani admitted to waving off Rushing several times, which he blamed on limited experience working with the Los Angeles backup catcher.
“It’s something you just have to have a conversation here and there and be on the same page,” Ohtani said.
The pair might collaborate more frequently soon after Roberts revealed following the game that starter Will Smith is going on the 10-day injured list with a neck problem.
Ohtani will get almost a full week of rest before his next scheduled pitching appearance. However, the preparation never truly ends. Roberts indicated the strategy is for Ohtani to bat leadoff as normal during Thursday’s series conclusion instead of receiving time off after what was statistically his most difficult outing this season.
That’s exactly how Ohtani prefers it.
“I’m always going to be prepared to play tomorrow,” he said.
