Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani leaves pitching start early because of cramping

Jack Harris, Los Angeles Times on Jul 30, 2025

Published in Baseball

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CINCINNATI — Shohei Ohtani left the mound alongside a trainer in the fourth inning of the Dodgers' Tuesday night game against the Cincinnati Reds because of cramping, according to the team.

The two-way star did remain in the game as the Dodgers' designated hitter.

On what was a hot, humid 90-degree night at Great American Ball Park, Ohtani had given up just one run in his first three innings before losing his command — and looking noticeably uncomfortable — after a leadoff single in the fourth.

He walked Tyler Stephenson on four pitches, two of which missed so badly they got past catcher Will Smith.

He started his next batter, Spencer Steer, with two more balls.

That prompted manager Dave Roberts, head athletic trainer Thomas Albert and interpreter Will Ireton to come to the mound, where the four talked as the rest of the infield gathered around them.

After a few moments, Ohtani then headed to the dugout — but not the clubhouse — ending his outing after a season-high 51 pitches on a hot, humid night at Great American Ball Park.

According to SportsNet LA sideline reporter Kirsten Watson, Ohtani was seen stretching out his lower half in the tunnel behind the dugout after leaving the mound.

Tuesday was only the seventh pitching start of the season for Ohtani, who was limited to DH duties for the first two and a half months of the season while completing his recovery from a second career Tommy John surgery he had near the end of the 2023 campaign.

It was also the two-way star's first time pitching into the fourth inning, after throwing one inning in his first two outings, two innings in the next two and two more in his last pair of appearances.