Shohei Ohtani and his bat are ready for an October takeoff

Shohei Ohtani went 2-for-5 with an RBI double and a single in the Los Angeles Dodgers' 4-2 loss to the San Diego Padres on Thursday. The designated hitter drove in his first run since August 18 with a ninth-inning double off All-Star closer Mason Miller, marking his second game back after missing 13 games on the injured list.

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts and first baseman Freddie Freeman praised Ohtani's bat speed and contact quality. Ohtani registered two of the game's three fastest exit velocities on Thursday, including his 106.8 mph double, and consistently exceeded the 95 mph hard-hit threshold across his first two games back.