San Diego Padres Pitcher Matsui Strikes Out Ohtani; Strikeout was 100th of Matsui’s Major League Career

By Toshiaki Obitsu / Yomiuri Shimbun Sportswriter

17:26 JST, June 12, 2025

SAN DIEGO — San Diego Padres reliever Yuki Matsui chalked up his 100th career strikeout in the major leagues on Thursday. And what a scalp it was.

Matsui fanned Los Angeles Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani for the second out of a scoreless seventh inning in the third and last game of the series between the NL West rivals, won 5-2 by the Dodgers.

With one out, Ohtani swung and missed at a low sinker, then again for the third strike at a pitch outside of the strike zone.

“I got ahead in the count, so I didn’t need to throw strikes,” Matsui said. As for retiring one of the majors’ top sluggers, he added, “It happens.”

Matsui followed by giving up a single to Mookie Betts, but struck out Freddie Freeman to end the inning.

Ohtani later tripled in the ninth inning for his lone hit in five at-bats, extending his consecutive hit streak to eight games.

This season, his second with the Padres, Matsui has a 2-1 record and 3.25 ERA in 29 games, with 32 strikeouts in 27 2/3 innings.