Shohei Ohtani Discusses Pitcher-Catcher Communication Conflict, Says He and Rushing Still Need to Adjust

Shohei Ohtani, the two-way Japanese star for the Los Angeles Dodgers, started on the road against the Minnesota Twins today (25th). During the game, a communication gap with catcher Dalton Rushing briefly caused him to give up three runs in the second inning, but he quickly regained his rhythm and narrowly secured his eighth win of the season. After the game, Ohtani discussed the pitcher-catcher coordination, emphasizing that besides discussing with the catcher, his own proactive decisions on pitch selection and sequencing were key factors in delivering quality outings.

In this game, Ohtani served as the starting pitcher while also batting leadoff. On the mound, he pitched six innings, using 89 pitches, allowing five hits and three runs (two earned), with two walks and eight strikeouts. At the plate, he went 2-for-5 with one RBI and struck out twice.

In the second inning, Ohtani ran into trouble, allowing consecutive hits and giving up three runs. After the game, he said, "Overall, I felt like I was hesitating while pitching that inning, and I think that showed in the quality of my pitches."

With one out and the bases loaded in that inning, Rushing had a passed ball that allowed a run to score, leading to speculation about whether it was related to sign miscommunication. Ohtani explained, "Yes, there were two options—a breaking ball and a fastball. I ended up thinking about choosing the last sign; I originally guessed he would call that. But for Rushing, because he had already started his motion, he thought it would be the first sign. That's roughly what happened."

Ohtani also added that he uses PitchCom to communicate his pitch ideas, saying, "Organizing the pitch sequence myself, choosing the pitch type, and trying that approach first—I think that's also a reason I can throw good pitches."

Additionally, when facing Ryan Kreidler, Ohtani felt there was a questionable ball/strike call and wanted to challenge it using the ABS system. However, Rushing seemed to have a different opinion at the time, causing a brief disagreement between the pitcher and catcher. The challenge was ultimately successful and the call was overturned, drawing attention to whether the two still need more time to build chemistry.

In response, Ohtani said, "We have various discussions and share information before the game. But during the game, the approach to pitch selection can change. For example, the batter's reactions or how he feels in the batter's box—these all affect pitch selection, so you can't rely on just one method. You have to keep communicating. It was the same situation last time."