Shohei Ohtani spoke at a Los Angeles Dodgers press conference on June 10, 2026, reflecting on his starting pitching appearance against the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Ohtani said his overall feel on the mound was not bad, noting he was able to distinguish between pitches intended to chase swings and pitches meant to locate. He acknowledged, however, that his sweeper angle has been dropping slightly compared to the start of the 2026 season. He also noted that his fastball carried a slight cutter shape and produced ground balls, but added that his final pitch was too hittable and felt floaty.
After the team was scored upon and the closer entered with a one-out, runner-on-first situation, Ohtani stated his focus shifted away from his own pitching performance. "If we could keep connecting hits, there was still plenty of chance to win in that situation," he said, describing his mindset in that moment.
On his 9th-inning home run, Ohtani acknowledged sensing the ball might not carry out of the park, but explained that trusting his swing mechanics mattered more than the outcome. "I thought it might not go in, but I felt that swinging with my own form first was what was important," he noted.
Ohtani also addressed his preparation routine while performing a two-way role in the 2026 season. He stated he does not require a mandatory bullpen session two days before a start and does not over-fixate on any single element of his routine—including nutrition. He mentioned that Japanese food options are not always plentiful in road cities, so he does not insist on specific foods, though he does lighten his meals the day before a start. "Not being overly particular—that's fine by me," he explained, describing his general philosophy toward pre-game preparation.