DENVER -- Shohei Ohtani has been on the mound previously at Coors Field, where he was the starting pitcher for the American League in the 2021 All-Star Game, and he had success in this pitching nightmare of a ballpark. But Wednesday was not the case as Ohtani had by far his worst outing as a Dodger, giving up five earned runs as the Dodgers fell to the Rockies 8-3.
To make matters worse, Ohtani had to leave the game entirely after being struck by a 93.7 mph comebacker to his right thigh. He would leave the mound shortly after that and stayed in the game as the designated hitter, but even after being examined by Dodgers manager Dave Roberts, Ohtani would later be pinch-hit for in the eighth inning.
"Very regrettable, put the team in a bad spot, it was just a very regrettable outing that I wish I could have done better."
— SportsNet LA (@SportsNetLA) August 21, 2025
Shohei Ohtani (L (0-1), 4.0 IP, 9 H, 5 ER, 0 BB, 3 K, 66 P; 1-2, BB) talks with the media after the #Dodgers lose to the Rockies 8-3 in Colorado. pic.twitter.com/T1ZfAXtyrj
"I took him out because a little bit cause of the score, but most part of it because it was getting stiff," Roberts told the media about why he decided to pinch hit for Ohtani. "It was in the thigh, fortunately, and not off the knee, but it got him square."
The Rockies jumped on Ohtani early, as they began their scoring in the second inning, following a Brenton Doyle RBI double, and Orlando Arcia's sac fly that pushed Colorado ahead 2-0. Warming Bernabel would slash an RBI double of his own in the bottom of the fourth, and once again, Arcia would deliver on a 0-2 count, and following Ohtani being hit in the thigh, would give up an RBI single to Tyler Freeman to extend the Rockies' lead 5-0.
Colorado sent out right-hander Tanner Gordon, who was coming into this game with an ERA north of seven, but held this Dodgers offense to just one run over six innings while striking out three. That one lonesome run came from the bat of Teoscar Hernandez as he launched home run number 21 to put Los Angeles on the board in the sixth.
Paul Gervase would make his Dodgers debut in the bottom of the sixth and would only give up one run, an RBI single to Hunter Goodman, on two hits and strike out two in two innings. Jack Dreyer would follow him up and give up the next two earned runs that would put the Dodgers to bed and secure the win, even with a two-run RBI double hit by Miguel Rojas in the top of the ninth.