Shohei Ohtani works 2 scoreless innings and strikes out side in 2nd on 31st birthday

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Dodgers two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani worked two scoreless innings against the Houston Astros on Saturday in his fourth mound start of the season, striking out the side in order in the second while pitching on his 31st birthday.

Ohtani allowed one hit and threw 31 pitches, 21 for strikes. He fanned Christian Walker, Victor Caratini and Yanier Diaz — all swinging — to conclude his latest outing as an opener as he works his way back from elbow surgery.

Houston scored four runs in the third against reliever Justin Wrobleski and went on to win 6-4.

In his previous mound start a week earlier, Ohtani threw the fastest pitch of his career at 101.7 mph. This time, he hit triple digits only once — a 100.9 mph fastball that Caratini fouled off.

“Very impressed,” Dave Roberts said of Ohtani’s pitching. “His stuff continues to get better, the command, the feel for making pitches. It’s nice to see he doesn’t have to throw as hard as he can. It’s more of a controlled fastball, controlled stuff. Really efficient with the double play in the first inning. Looking at the next one we’ll have a discussion and how much and what we expect of him. Really impressed how he’s continued to get better and better each time out.”

Dodgers organist Dieter Ruehle played one line of “Happy Birthday” as Ohtani walked to the dugout after the second inning. Before the game, the Los Angeles grounds crew wrote the message “HB Sho” in the dirt.

“I’m already at an age where I don’t celebrate birthdays like I used to do,” Ohtani said through an interpreter. “With that being said, I’m grateful for everyone who said happy birthday to me. As long as I can can play the way I want to play, I usually spend my birthday just like any other day.”

Isaac Paredes led off against Ohtani with a single to left. Ohtani then got Cam Smith to hit a comebacker that second baseman Tommy Edman turned into a double play. Jose Altuve followed with a groundout as Ohtani retired the side on 10 pitches.

Ohtani has allowed one run in six innings this season for a 1.50 ERA.

The three-time MVP did not pitch last season, his first with the Dodgers, while recovering from Tommy John surgery. He made 86 mound starts over five seasons with the Los Angeles Angels, going 38-19 with a 3.01 ERA.

Batting in his customary leadoff spot, Ohtani went 1-for-4 with a walk. He led off the ninth with a single against Astros closer Josh Hader, who then retired Mookie Betts, Will Smith and Freddie Freeman to end it.

“I don’t feel too bad at the plate. At the same time, I’m recognizing pitches I should be able to hit, which I’m not,” Ohtani said. “Usually, it’s a matter of a little bit of a difference with the way I’m swinging and the cage work. Hopefully, I can apply that on the field.”

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Shohei Ohtani delivers during the first inning of a baseball game against the Houston Astros in Los Angeles, Saturday, July 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Kyusung Gong)

Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Shohei Ohtani delivers during the first inning of a baseball game against the Houston Astros in Los Angeles, Saturday, July 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Kyusung Gong)

Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Shohei Ohtani gestures during the first inning of a baseball game against the Houston Astros in Los Angeles, Saturday, July 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Kyusung Gong)

Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Shohei Ohtani gestures during the first inning of a baseball game against the Houston Astros in Los Angeles, Saturday, July 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Kyusung Gong)

Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Shohei Ohtani delivers during the first inning of a baseball game against the Houston Astros in Los Angeles, Saturday, July 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Kyusung Gong)

Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Shohei Ohtani delivers during the first inning of a baseball game against the Houston Astros in Los Angeles, Saturday, July 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Kyusung Gong)

Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Shohei Ohtani delivers during the first inning of a baseball game against the Houston Astros in Los Angeles, Saturday, July 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Kyusung Gong)

ST. LOUIS (AP) — World champions Ilia Malinin and the ice dance duo of Madison Chock and Evan Bates will anchor one of the strongest U.S. Figure Skating teams in history when they head to Italy for the Milan Cortina Olympics in less than a month.

Malinin, fresh off his fourth straight national title, will be the prohibitive favorite to follow in the footsteps of Nathan Chen by delivering another men's gold medal for the American squad when he steps on the ice at the Milano Ice Skating Arena.

Chock and Bates, who won their record-setting seventh U.S. title Saturday night, also will be among the Olympic favorites, as will world champion Alysa Liu and women's teammate Amber Glenn, fresh off her third consecutive national title.

U.S. Figure Skating announced its full squad of 16 athletes for the Winter Games during a made-for-TV celebration Sunday.

"I'm just so excited for the Olympic spirit, the Olympic environment," Malinin said. “Hopefully go for that Olympic gold.”

Malinin will be joined on the men's side by Andrew Torgashev, the all-or-nothing 24-year-old from Coral Springs, Florida, and Maxim Naumov, the 24-year-old from Simsbury, Connecticut, who fulfilled the hopes of his late parents by making the Olympic team.

Vadim Naumov and Evgenia Shishkova were returning from a talent camp in Kansas when their American Airlines flight collided with a military helicopter and crashed into the icy Potomac River in January 2025. One of the last conversations they had with their son was about what it would take for him to follow in their footsteps by becoming an Olympian.

“We absolutely did it,” Naumov said. “Every day, year after year, we talked about the Olympics. It means so much in our family. It's what I've been thinking about since I was 5 years old, before I even know what to think. I can't put this into words.”

Chock and Bates helped the Americans win team gold at the Beijing Games four years ago, but they finished fourth — one spot out of the medals — in the ice dance competition. They have hardly finished anywhere but first in the years since, winning three consecutive world championships and the gold medal at three straight Grand Prix Finals.

U.S. silver medalists Emilea Zingas and Vadym Kolesnik also made the dance team, as did the Canadian-born Christina Carreira, who became eligible for the Olympics in November when her American citizenship came through, and Anthony Ponomarenko.

Liu was picked for her second Olympic team after briefly retiring following the Beijing Games. She had been burned out by years of practice and competing, but stepping away seemed to rejuvenate the 20-year-old from Clovis, California, and she returned to win the first world title by an American since Kimmie Meissner stood atop the podium two decades ago.

Now, the avant-garde Liu will be trying to help the U.S. win its first women's medal since Sasha Cohen in Turin in 2006, and perhaps the first gold medal since Sarah Hughes triumphed four years earlier at the Salt Lake City Games.

Her biggest competition, besides a powerful Japanese contingent, could come from her own teammates: Glenn, a first-time Olympian, has been nearly unbeatable the past two years, while 18-year-old Isabeau Levito is a former world silver medalist.

"This was my goal and my dream and it just feels so special that it came true,” said Levito, whose mother is originally from Milan.

The two pairs spots went to Ellie Kam and Danny O'Shea, the U.S. silver medalists, and the team of Emily Chan and Spencer Howe.

The top American pairs team, two-time reigning U.S. champions Alisa Efimova and Misha Mitrofanov, were hoping that the Finnish-born Efimova would get her citizenship approved in time to compete in Italy. But despite efforts by the Skating Club of Boston, where they train, and the help of their U.S. senators, she did not receive her passport by the selection deadline.

“The importance and magnitude of selecting an Olympic team is one of the most important milestones in an athlete's life,” U.S. Figure Skating CEO Matt Farrell said, "and it has such an impact, and while there are sometimes rules, there is also a human element to this that we really have to take into account as we make decisions and what's best going forward from a selection process.

“Sometimes these aren't easy," Farrell said, “and this is not the fun part.”

The fun is just beginning, though, for the 16 athletes picked for the powerful American team.

AP Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/milan-cortina-2026-winter-olympics

Amber Glenn competes during the women's free skating competition at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships, Friday, Jan. 9, 2026, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough)

Alysa Liu skates during the "Making Team USA" performance at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships, Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough)

Maxim Naumov skates during the "Making Team USA" performance at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships, Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough)

Madison Chock and Evan Bates skate during the "Making the Team" performance at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships, Sunday, Jan. 11, 2026, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough)

Gold medalist Ilia Malinin arrives for the metal ceremony after the men's free skate competition at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships, Saturday, Jan. 10, 2026, in St. Louis. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)