Cross-game streak of 6K! Shohei Ohtani's final spring training game sees him strike out 11 over 4 innings, full two-way role awaits new season

Shohei Ohtani started as a two-way player for the Los Angeles Dodgers in their final spring training game against the Los Angeles Angels today. As a pitcher, Ohtani displayed remarkable strikeout ability, recording 11 strikeouts over 4 innings. Although his performance declined in the fifth inning, leading to consecutive hits and runs before exiting, his overall condition indicates readiness for the new season.

Ohtani began the game by striking out two batters consecutively, then forced Nolan Schanuel into a groundout to shortstop—the only non-strikeout among the Angels' outs in the first four innings. In the second inning, Jorge Soler seized a sinker that drifted middle and hit the team's first single. Ohtani's control wavered slightly, issuing a walk, creating a crisis with runners on first and second and no outs.

But his strikeout prowess came into play, as he then struck out Jo Adell, Josh Lowe, and Travis d'Arnaud in succession. In the next inning, Ohtani again delivered three consecutive strikeouts, achieving a cross-game streak of 6K. After walking Schanuel in the fourth inning, Ohtani finished with another trio of strikeouts, thoroughly suppressing the Angels' lineup. In the bottom half, batter Ohtani, leading off, also hit the team's first single, contributing both as a pitcher and hitter.

However, when Ohtani continued to pitch in the fifth inning, his performance declined; his fastball velocity dropped to 94 mph, and he allowed consecutive hits and runs. Manager Dave Roberts decided to change pitchers, but reliever Antoine Kelly issued two walks with the bases loaded, both runs charged to Ohtani's earned run average.

Overall, Ohtani pitched 4 innings using 86 pitches, allowing 4 hits, striking out 11 batters, and conceding 3 runs, resulting in a spring training exhibition game ERA of 3.24. In batting, he had 1 hit in 2 at-bats, finishing spring training with a batting average of .308 and an OPS of .819.