Shohei Ohtani pitched through a bleeding finger for 6 innings to secure his 7th win, and his appearance as a pinch hitter drew cheers from the crowd.

Los Angeles Dodgers' Japanese two-way star Shohei Ohtani started on the mound against the Tampa Bay Rays on June 18 Beijing time. Although he only played as a pitcher, tossing 6 innings and allowing 4 runs while once again experiencing finger bleeding during the game, he still fired the fastest pitch of the game at 101 miles per hour (about 162.5 km/h). What made it even more special was that the Dodgers unusually removed the designated hitter rule late in the game, allowing Ohtani, who had been focused on pitching, to step up as a pinch hitter, triggering a roar from the entire stadium. The Dodgers ultimately defeated the Rays 5-4, and Ohtani earned his 7th win of the season (7-2 record).

Ohtani showed solid control against the Rays' lineup in the first four innings. Although a hit batter in the third inning created a first-and-second jam, he then induced Cedric Mullins to ground out, successfully escaping the scoring threat.

In the bottom of the fourth inning, the Dodgers took advantage of a walk and hits by Alex Call and Alex Freeland to score 2 runs first. However, the top of the fifth saw a sudden turn, as Ohtani faced a fierce counterattack from the Rays' lineup.

He first walked Victor Mesa Jr., then gave up a double to center field by Hunter Feduccia, putting runners on second and third with no outs. Taylor Walls' sacrifice fly brought in one run, and then Yandy Díaz singled to center field to tie the game.

Following that, Jonathan Aranda and Cedric Mullins strung together hits to load the bases. Junior Caminero grounded to third base to drive in the go-ahead run, and Richie Palacios added a single to right field, allowing the Rays to score 4 runs in the inning. Ohtani threw 26 pitches in that frame, surrendering 5 hits and 4 runs.

Despite this, he still blasted the fastest pitch of the game at 101 mph. However, as in previous outings, Ohtani's right middle finger appeared to bleed again at the first joint, with visible blood even on his right thigh of his pants. Even so, he insisted on pitching the sixth inning and successfully retired the Rays' lineup in order.

Ohtani's fighting spirit seemed to inspire his teammates. In the bottom of the sixth, the Dodgers turned the game around with a two-run home run to center field by Freddie Freeman.

Surprisingly, with two outs and nobody on in the bottom of the sixth inning, the designated hitter Miguel Rojas' spot came up, and the Dodgers decided to remove the designated hitter rule, allowing Ohtani, who had been focused on pitching, to bat as a pinch hitter. Although he ultimately grounded out to shortstop, the moment he stepped out of the dugout and walked toward the batter's box, Dodger Stadium erupted in the loudest cheers of the night.

In the end, Ohtani pitched 6 innings, throwing 91 pitches, allowing 7 hits and 4 runs, with 5 strikeouts and 2 walks, raising his ERA to 1.47. The Dodgers won a thrilling 5-4 victory over the Rays, thanks to Freeman's crucial go-ahead home run and the bullpen's relief effort, and Ohtani secured his 7th win of the season.