"There has only been one player like Otani in the past 125 years."

The 'dual role' of Shohei Otani of the Los Angeles Dodgers has officially begun. Otani played as a designated hitter and pitcher in the game against the Washington Nationals on the 23rd (Korean time) at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, California, during the '2025 Major League'. He pitched 1 inning, throwing 18 pitches, striking out 2 batters, did not allow any runs, and hit 4 at-bats with 2 hits (1 home run), 5 RBIs, and 3 runs, leading to a 13-7 victory.

That day, Otani took the mound as a starting pitcher for the second time with the Dodgers. After undergoing elbow surgery in September 2023, Otani began his rehabilitation. He focused solely on hitting after signing a 10-year, $700 million contract with the Dodgers last year. After suffering a left shoulder injury during the World Series last year, Otani's return as a pitcher was pushed back.

However, on the 17th, it was decided he would make an abrupt return as a pitcher in the game against the San Diego Padres, throwing 1 inning, 28 pitches, allowing 2 hits, and 1 run. His top speed recorded was 100.2 mph (161.3 km/h).

After his first appearance, he was at the center of two incidents involving beanballs against San Diego. On the 18th, he was hit in the right thigh by Randy Vasquez's 93.8 mph fastball, and on the 20th, he was hit in the back by Robert Suárez's 100 mph fastball, creating a tense situation. However, Otani showed maturity by preventing additional bench-clearing incidents. Although he was bruised all over, he did not waver in his will to start, proving that his build-up as a pitcher was going well.

In the first inning, Otani threw a first pitch 97.2 mph fastball against the first batter CJ Abrams, inducing a ground ball to first base. Against the second batter James Wood, he alternatingly used a sweeper and splitter, seemingly inducing a pop-up. However, the high pop-up was missed by shortstop Mookie Betts. The error allowed the runner to reach base.

With one out and a runner on first base, Louis Garcia Jr. faced Otani, who threw an 85.9 mph sweeper on the fifth pitch, collecting a swinging strikeout. This was Otani's first strikeout with the Dodgers. It had been 669 days since his last strikeout on August 24, 2023, during a game against the Cincinnati Reds while with the Los Angeles Angels. Against Nathaniel Lowe with two outs and a runner on first, Otani committed a wild pitch, leading to a runner on second, but he secured another swinging strikeout on the seventh pitch, throwing an 88.3 mph cutter for back-to-back strikeouts to end the inning scoreless.

From the second inning, he handed the ball over to Ben Casparius. That day, he used a total of 18 pitches including 7 sweepers, 6 fastballs, 3 cutters, and 2 splitters. The highest speed of his fastball was 98.8 mph (159 km/h).

Otani momentarily lagged at the plate. After finishing his pitching in the first inning, he faced Washington's starting pitcher Michael Soroka in the bottom of the first inning, but struck out on a foul tip after a 7-pitch full count battle. In the bottom of the third inning with two outs and a runner on first, Otani faced Soroka's 80.7 mph curveball, swinging and missing for his second consecutive strikeout.

In the bottom of the sixth inning, he reached base on a walk with no outs and a runner on second. He then scored on Max Muncy's grand slam. He turned the game around to make it 4-3. In the bottom of the seventh inning, with no outs and the bases loaded, he hit a 87.5 mph slider from Ryan Lutz for a three-run triple, reaching a ball speed of 101.3 mph (163 km/h). Then, in the bottom of the eighth inning, he hit a two-run home run, extending the lead to 13-3. With one out and runners on first, he lifted a 95.2 mph fastball from Jackson Rutledge for a two-run homer. It was his 26th home run of the season.

With this, Otani became the first player to record both a home run and a triple while being a starting pitcher on the same day. This is not the first time. During his time with the Angels, on May 16, 2023, he played as both a starting pitcher and the third batter against the Baltimore Orioles, achieving 4 hits and 3 RBIs from 5 at-bats. As a starter, he pitched 7 innings, allowing 4 hits (3 home runs), 2 walks, 5 strikeouts, and 5 runs, but made up for it at the plate. Notably, he hit a three-run home run to take the lead during a 4-4 tie in the fourth inning and also hit a triple in the fifth.

According to Sarah Langs, a statistics expert with MLB.com, "This is the second time Otani has recorded a home run and a triple in a game he pitched. Otani is the only player in the past 125 years to have played such a game more than twice."

After the game, Otani said, "I only planned to pitch for 1 inning today. I hope to gradually increase the number of innings in the future." He noted, "The opposing hitters and pitcher were very impressive. I didn't have the proper approach at the plate, which is something I need to reflect on."

He added, "I returned earlier than expected. If I gradually increase my innings, I feel confident that I can get better than before. There are still many areas to improve, but I want to improve them one by one."

This is not the end. The monster, the alien Otani, who used to do both pitching and hitting, has returned. And Otani is confident about achieving even more.

[OSEN]