Ohtani leaves mound with trainer after throwing 6 straight balls

CINCINNATI — Los Angeles Dodgers two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani left the mound accompanied by a trainer during the fourth inning against the Cincinnati Reds on Wednesday. Ohtani threw six straight balls — including two consecutive wild pitches — and, after a conference on the mound, departed with a 2-0 count against Spencer Steer. The 31-year-old remained in the game at designated hitter. He struck out looking against Reds starter Nick Martinez in the sixth inning. It was Ohtani's seventh mound start in his comeback from surgery on his right elbow, which occurred after the 2023 season. He did not pitch at all last season, his first for the Dodgers after signing a 10-year, $700 million contract, but he starred at DH — finishing with 54 homers and 59 stolen bases — and won his third MVP award. Ohtani leads the National League with 38 homers this season. Ohtani might start having second thoughts about facing the Reds on the mound. His last pitching appearance against Cincinnati was Aug. 23, 2023, for the Los Angeles Angels. He left in the second inning with a torn ligament in his elbow, an injury that led to his second Tommy John surgery. The Dodgers' plan for Wednesday was for Ohtani to throw four innings, which would have been the longest outing of his pitching comeback. He threw 51 pitches, 32 for strikes, and allowed two runs on five hits in three-plus innings. He struck out four and walked two. Noelvi Marte led off the Reds' fourth with a single and advanced to third on Ohtani's two wild pitches to Tyler Stephenson, who then walked. Ohtani threw two balls to Steer and was replaced by Anthony Banda, who walked Steer and gave up Will Benson's sacrifice fly that tied the game at 2-all.