Shohei Ohtani: Average strikeouts per game| Pitch count| Weight

Shohei Ohtani is one of baseball’s most unique talents — a two-way star who both hits and pitches at an elite level. As he continues to break records, fans and analysts alike focus on several key metrics to understand his performance: his strikeouts per game as a pitcher, his pitch counts, and his physical attributes (like weight) that underpin his ability. In this article, we explore these three areas in depth, using his past and current statistics, to get a complete picture of where Ohtani stands and what his metrics tell us.

Physical Profile: Weight, Height, and Fundamentals

Before diving into the strikeout and pitching metrics, it helps to set up the physical context — because weight, height, strength, speed, and conditioning all matter in how a pitcher performs.

• Height & Weight: Shohei Ohtani is listed as 6’3″ (190.5 cm) and 210 lbs (95 kg). 

• Build & Mechanics: With that frame, Ohtani combines fast-twitch explosiveness (critical for velocity) with flexibility and balance (important for control and injury prevention). His conditioning and durability have been closely watched, especially since he pitches and also bats heavily in each season.

This weight is fairly typical for a power pitcher of his size, giving him enough mass to drive the mound while maintaining agility. It also means that his arm load and recovery times are key variables: heavier muscles can help generate force, but also require careful maintenance to avoid fatigue or injury, especially with high pitch counts or frequent appearances as both batter and pitcher.

Average Strikeouts per Game

One of the most discussed metrics for pitchers is how many strikeouts they average per game they pitch (i.e. per game started). For Ohtani, as a starting pitcher for most of his pitching career, that number gives insight into how dominant he is.

• Career Average Strikeouts per Game (SO/G): As of the latest complete season data, Shohei Ohtani has averaged about 6.69 strikeouts per game (i.e. each game he starts as pitcher). 

• This figure is derived by taking total strikeouts over his games pitched and dividing by the number of those games. For example, over several seasons of starting work, he has thrown many starts where he racks up double-digit strikeouts and others where he has fewer — the average smooths this out. 

Season-by-Season Variation

His SO/G fluctuates season-to-season, depending on workload, opponent strength, health, and how deep he goes into games. Some seasons are better than others:

• 2022: He struck out 219 batters over 28 starts, which gives a high strikeout-per-start rate.

• 2023: Slightly lower, but still strong: 167 strikeouts in 23 starts.

• 2025: Returning from an injury phase, he has fewer innings and fewer starts so far, and thus the raw per-game strikeout numbers are more volatile. Through 13 starts in 2025, he had 54 strikeouts. That works out to roughly 4.15 strikeouts per start in that truncated sample.

What Affects Strikeouts per Game

Several factors influence the SO/G metric for Ohtani specifically:

1. Innings Pitched Per Game: If he’s pulled early (due to pitch count, health, or strategy), fewer strikeouts simply because fewer batters faced.

2. Velocity & Pitch Mix: His fastball velocity, plus breaking/off-speed pitches, determine how often he can miss bats.

3. Opponents’ Lineups & Quality: Facing stronger hitters or more disciplined lineups can reduce strikeout rates.

4. Recovery & Fatigue: Since Ohtani also bats heavily and sometimes plays field or designated hitter, his overall workload influences fatigue.

5. Health & Injuries: Elbow or shoulder concerns have limited his ability in certain seasons. A major factor for his pitching in 2024-2025 was recovery from elbow surgery.

Pitch Count: Workload and Limitations

“Pitch count” refers to how many pitches a pitcher throws in a game. For someone like Ohtani, pitch count is critical — it influences how long he can stay in a start, how effective he is deeper into games, and how frequently he can pitch without risking injury.

Although specific average pitch count per game for all his starts is not always publicly summarized, we can draw from game logs and season data to infer patterns and peaks.

Key Observations on Ohtani’s Pitch Counts

1. Return from Surgery in 2025: In his Dodgers debut on the mound after elbow surgery, Ohtani threw 28 pitches in one inning. This limited count is part of a cautious ramp-up.

2. Earlier Peak Workloads: In his prime seasons before surgery (2022, 2023), when healthy and starting every fifth day, Ohtani often threw in the range of 90-110 pitches in many of his longer outings. These outings gave him chances to accumulate many strikeouts in single games. (For example, deep into games in 2022 when he had 28 starts and high strikeout totals.) 

3. Limitation Strategy: The Dodgers and Ohtani have been managing pitch counts more conservatively in 2025. Because of surgery and his two-way role, there’s a greater emphasis not just on total pitches but quality, velocity, and recovery. Managers often limit pitchers recovering from injury to lower counts early on, gradually increasing as health and strength allow.

Why Pitch Count Matters

• Effect on SO/G: If a pitcher throws more pitches in a game (i.e. lasts longer into the game), he has more opportunities for strikeouts. Thus, pitch count and innings pitched are correlated with strikeouts per game.

• Health Risks: Overuse, especially early after surgery, can lead to re-injury. So pitch limits exist to protect.

• Strategic Use: Given Ohtani’s hitting responsibilities, teams may pull him earlier, impacting his ability to reach high pitch counts.

Putting It All Together: Trends, Strengths, and Limitations

To understand Ohtani’s current state and what to expect going forward, we combine his physical attributes, strikeouts-per-game averages, and pitch count tendencies:

• Peak Dominance Pre-Injury: In seasons like 2022, Ohtani was among the more dominant starters in terms of strikeouts relative to starts. His 219 strikeouts over 28 starts that year gave him almost 8 strikeouts per game on average.

• Post-Surgery Adjustments: In 2025, as he regains full pitching capacity, his strikeout totals per start have dipped compared to his peak years, partly due to pitch count restrictions and possibly less endurance in earlier innings.

• Physical Build Helps but Needs Upkeep: At 210 lbs, he has enough mass to generate power, but the wear and tear of dual duties (hitting + pitching) means that conditioning, rest, and recovery are more crucial than ever.

What Do the Metrics Suggest for His Future Performance?

Looking ahead, several predictions emerge based on current data and trends:

1. Strikeouts per Game Will Likely Rise: As Ohtani builds back stamina and possibly gets deeper into starts more consistently, his SO/game average should climb back toward his pre-injury levels (7-8 per start) rather than the lower 4-5 seen in limited usage.

2. Pitch Counts Will Be Managed Carefully: Expect gradual increases in pitch counts per start. Early in 2025, pitch counts are conservative; later in the season, in more important games, he may be stretched more, but always with the usual caution given his surgical history.

3. Weight Maintenance Will Be Key: Any major change in weight (gain or loss) could affect his velocity, durability, and mechanics. Maintaining strength without sacrificing flexibility or increasing risk will be essential.

4. Innings Pitched Could Remain Below Peak: Because of the dual role and health strategy, Ohtani may never again pitch with the same volume as in his peak 2022 season, unless he is able to avoid injury and the team manages his schedule optimally.

Data Table: Ohtani’s SO/G, Pitch Count Observations & Weight

Conclusion

Shohei Ohtani remains one of the most fascinating players in Major League Baseball. His strikeouts per game (as a starter) hover around 6.7, which reflects both periods of high output and seasons where pitch count or recovery limit his innings. His weight, 210 lbs at 6′3″, contributes to his power and stamina but also imposes demands in terms of recovery and workload management. Looking forward, as his health improves and his usage becomes more consistent, we can expect his strikeout numbers to rebound, though the pitch count and innings pitch per start will likely be monitored closely to preserve his arms and overall performance.