Ohtani dials it up to 101.7 mph -- the fastest pitch of his MLB career

KANSAS CITY -- Shohei Ohtani is once again doing things nobody else has done -- including himself.

With the adrenaline pumping in a two-on, one-out situation in the first inning of his third start with the Dodgers on Saturday at Kauffman Stadium, Ohtani reared back for record-breaking velocity. The two-way superstar fired a 101.7 mph four-seam fastball -- the fastest pitch of his Major League career -- to the inside part of the plate to Vinnie Pasquantino.

The result? A ground-ball double play to escape the jam, which was enough for Ohtani to crack a smile on his way back to the dugout.

Then, for the first time since 2023, Ohtani returned to the mound for a 1-2-3 second frame in the Dodgers’ eventual 9-5 loss to the Royals.

Ohanti’s 101.7 mph four-seamer was the fastest pitch by a Dodger this season, as Ohtani now holds four of Los Angeles’ seven pitches north of 100 mph this year after three more against Kansas City in his first road start since July 27, 2023, against Detroit with the Angels.

But it wasn’t Ohtani’s fastest pitch he’s ever thrown -- or even to Pasquantino. While pitching for Team Japan in the 2023 World Baseball Classic, Ohtani struck out Team Italy's Pasquantino with a 102 mph heater.

"[Ohtani] keeps doing that to me,” Pasquantino said. “I just saw the fastest pitches he’s ever thrown in his career -- two of them are against me. His two hardest throws. I need to talk to him. I was hoping he’d get on first today so I could ask him. He got me in Japan a few years ago. It was 166 kilometers, and I remember looking up and being like, ‘What? I don’t even know what that is.’ He loves throwing me fastballs, and he doesn’t really throw that many fastballs.”

The Dodgers want Ohtani to stay in control as he continues to build back up as a pitcher, but even manager Dave Roberts admitted that," You can’t take the competitor out of the player."

With the Royals threatening and Ohtani’s leash set at two innings, the 2025 All-Star let it fly.

"There’s a little bit of stress, and that’s when you start seeing the hundreds and trying to bully guys,” Roberts said. “And I still thought the sweeper was good, the sinker was good, but no one knows himself better than he does. And so, again, today I thought he was still in control, and it was still good to see triple digits.”

For Ohtani, he is still figuring out what he can do on the mound as he returns from his second major elbow operation. He had Tommy John surgery in 2018 before undergoing his latest elbow procedure late in the season in 2023, which forced him off the mound for all of '24, his first season in Los Angeles.

"It’s something that I don’t think I would have been able to do in a live BP setting, so it’s nice to be able to hit this velo and see how my body reacts,” Ohtani said through interpreter Will Ireton.

“I felt pretty good about being able to come back and pitch well, especially considering when I first had the surgery -- the second time through was a lot better in terms of recovery than the first time through. Just talking to the doctor, he was very confident that I was able to come back at full form.”

That’s exactly what Ohtani is displaying now, tossing four frames of one-run ball in his return to the mound after two scoreless innings Saturday. He needed 27 pitches (20 strikes) to get six outs, striking out Jac Caglianone with a sinker for his only K of the afternoon. He averaged 98.8 mph on his fastball – the same speed as his fastest pitch in his second start -- and notched two whiffs on four swings with his slider.

There is still no definitive blueprint or plan for Ohtani in terms of innings or pitches as he gradually returns to the mound, but Ohtani said he was pleased with his ability to attack the zone and happy with his outing.

On the hitting side, Ohtani went 0-for-4 with three strikeouts. He’s still settling back into the two-way routine, which included an instance Saturday where he went straight from the mound to the batter’s box between the second and third inning.

But for Ohtani, he says it’s natural.

"The result wasn’t good, but I do feel like it’s more natural for me to get off the bump and go straight to hitting rather than be a full-time DH guy where I’m just waiting for the next at-bat to come.”

Ohtani proved that with 5 RBIs in his previous two-way performance on Sunday against Washington, but if the Dodgers can get this version of Ohtani that also lights up the radar gun? There's no ceiling he can't reach.