dodgers shohei ohtani pitching.

Shohei Ohtani is showing his dominance on the mound as October baseball nears. The Los Angeles Dodgers’ two-way star had his third straight scoreless outing on Tuesday night against the Arizona Diamondbacks. His fastball consistently hit the 98-100 mph range, even reaching 101.2 mph. Ohtani gave up five singles and started an athletic double play to end the fifth inning. The 31-year-old is building up his pitch count after elbow surgery kept him off the mound last season. He worked five hitless innings in his previous outing.  This was Ohtani’s 100th mound start in the big leagues.

Dodgers two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani worked two scoreless innings against the Houston Astros in his fourth mound start of the season. He struck out the side in order in the second while pitching on his 31st birthday. Ohtani allowed one hit and threw 31 pitches, 21 for strikes. He fanned Christian Walker, Victor Caratini and Yanier Diaz — all swinging — to conclude his latest outing as an opener as he works his way back from elbow surgery. In his previous start a week earlier, Ohtani threw the fastest pitch of his career at 101.7 mph. On Saturday, he hit triple digits only once — a 100.9 mph fastball that Caratini fouled off.

Shohei Ohtani threw the fastest pitch of his career at 101.7 mph and worked two efficient innings in his third mound start for the Los Angeles Dodgers, allowing one hit and one walk against the Kansas City Royals. It was the first start of more than one inning this season for the two-way superstar, who is working as an opener as he eases his way back into pitching. The three-time MVP did not pitch last season, his first with the Dodgers, while recovering from Tommy John surgery. On Saturday, Ohtani threw first-pitch strikes to all seven batters he faced and finished with 27 pitches, 20 for strikes.