Shohei Ohtani aims to increase his pitch count while being more relaxed than last time, but he admits he will take it step by step.

In his second start since returning to being a two-way player, Shohei Ohtani served as the starting pitcher for one inning, which was an agreement made recently with the team. After these two starts, the assessment from Dodgers' manager Dave Roberts will be crucial in determining whether Ohtani can continue to increase his innings pitched.

Based on today's pitching performance, although Ohtani threw 18 pitches in one inning, part of the reason for the extra pitch count was a defensive error by Mookie Betts that allowed one more batter to come to the plate, and he battled Nathaniel Lowe for seven pitches. Even if he had a perfect first inning, it's believed Ohtani won't pitch in the second inning.

After the game, Ohtani stated through a translator, "This is the initial plan, and I look forward to increasing my pitch count in the future."

The biggest difference from his previous start is that Ohtani pitched with a more relaxed attitude rather than going all out, which is evident from the speed and average velocity of his fastballs. Managing stamina is the key difference between starting pitchers and relief pitchers.

"I feel like I was more relaxed this time! This is something I worked on with the pitching coach, and I felt better this time," Ohtani said.

Due to Ohtani's two-way player status, the Dodgers cannot forgo his hitting to increase his endurance during rehab outings; instead, they can only adjust by using him as a starting pitcher. Therefore, determining when to start increasing his innings is a key focus for the Dodgers moving forward.

According to reports, the Dodgers are considering the possibility of moving Ohtani's batting order down when he starts, especially during home games, because this would allow him to bat immediately after pitching, while there is enough time to prepare during away games.

In terms of innings, adjustments will be made gradually according to the plan. According to the Dodgers' schedule, after a day off on Tuesday (24th), they will play two away series against the Rockies and the Royals, so Ohtani's third start will be during the series against the Royals, where he may pitch in the second inning.

In response, Ohtani said, "I won't suddenly increase my pitching frequency or innings; I hope to take it step by step. Right now, improving the quality of my pitching is the most important thing."