Dodgers skipper gives verdict on Shohei Ohtani's birthday outing on the mound

Shohei Ohtani pitched 31 times against the Houston Astros in a 2.0 innings opener role in his fourth appearance this season. After returning from injury, this was the longest he has been on the mound in terms of pitches.

Ohtani is quietly working into being a full starter with a rehab process that has seen him face major league batters instead of Triple-A opponents, due to his two-way duties.

On Saturday, which also happened to be Ohtani's 31st birthday, the Japanese superstar gave up just one hit and earned three strikeouts. Issac Paredes earned a leadoff walk against him in the first, but was quickly retired by a double play from the Dodgers' defense.

In the second innings, Ohtani fanned all three batters, Christian Walker on a third-strike slide and two devastating sweepers that made Victor Caratini and Yainer Diaz chase outside the zone.

Shohei Ohtani's fastball averaged out at 97.9 mph, with him regulating his pace with a maximum velocity of 100.9 mph, his only three-figure pitch in the evening.

Dave Roberts was impressed with Shohei's start as he complimented the flamethrower for his control and discipline.

“Very impressed,” Dave Roberts said of Ohtani’s pitching (per Sonja Chen/MLB). “His stuff continues to get better, the command, the feel for making pitches. It’s nice to see he doesn’t have to throw as hard as he can.

"It’s more of a controlled fastball, controlled stuff. Really efficient with the double play in the first inning. Looking at the next one we’ll have a discussion and how much and what we expect of him. Really impressed how he’s continued to get better and better each time out.”

In the four starts so far, Shohei Ohtani has pitched six full innings, earning just one run on four hits and a walk, and striking out six opponent batters for a 1.50 ERA.

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Shohei Ohtani ready to pitch longer, reckons Dave Roberts

After Shohei Ohtani's two scoreless innings, the Dodgers' bullpen gave up the 2-0 lead to lose the game 6-4. The 31-year-old continues to be a multi-innings opener, but the Dodgers are aware that a full four-innings-plus start might be around the corner.

"If you look at where he's at now, the calendar, I think that him getting to five, six innings is certainly feasible," Roberts said (per AP). "Don't know what that's going to be, but yeah, I can see as a natural progression that we can get to that point."

Shohei also acknowledged the same desire, while being wary of the risks involved.

"In a rehab progression, it's really important to just take one step at a time," Ohtani said. "There are times when I may be able to go another inning, but it's really important not to take unnecessary risks and make sure that I can progress consistently."

While his pitching remains a factor, the Dodgers will also be mindful of how Shohei Ohtani performs at the plate when also taking the mound. He went 1-for-4 in the game with a leadoff single in the ninth inning.