The Los Angeles Dodgers have been on a hot streak, winning five consecutive games and leaping to a 4.5-game lead atop the NL West. The excitement continued Wednesday night with a dramatic walk-off home run by Will Smith against the San Diego Padres. However, the main focus remains the impressive two-way performance of Shohei Ohtani, who is steadily ramping up his pitching after missing the entire 2024 MLB season.
Ohtani made his Dodgers pitching debut on Monday, tossing a scoreless inning that featured two hits allowed and one run. He also served as the designated hitter that night, going 2-for-3 at the plate. Since undergoing Tommy John surgery after the 2023 season with the Angels, Ohtani has been carefully building up his innings as he cannot rehab in the minors, making each major league appearance critical.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts confirmed Ohtani’s next pitching outing is scheduled for Sunday against the struggling Washington Nationals. “Shohei Ohtani’s next pitching outing is Sunday against the Nationals,” Roberts told reporters, as reported by Fabia Ardaya of The Athletic. The Nationals have dropped the first three games of their series against the Rockies and will head to Los Angeles hoping to avoid a sweep.
Ohtani’s dual threat fuels Dodgers
While Ohtani’s pitching workload remains limited, his offensive production continues to impress. He currently leads the National League with 25 home runs and boasts a 1.014 OPS along with a 183 OPS+, ranking him among the game’s elite hitters. His 73 runs scored also top all of MLB. If he can maintain his exceptional hitting while pitching every fifth day, Ohtani is poised to contend for his fourth MVP award in five seasons.
Shohei Ohtani and Dodgers manager Dave Roberts share a moment as the team continues shaping the two-way star’s pitching return plan. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
Dodgers aim for sweep over Padres
The Dodgers head into Thursday’s game looking to complete a sweep of the Padres and extend their division lead even further. With Ohtani’s unique two-way talent giving them an edge, Los Angeles is building a strong case as one of the favorites to contend deep into the postseason.
see also
Dodgers HC Dave Roberts explains fiery reaction following Shohei Ohtani’s hit by pitch vs San Diego Padres
SurveyWill Shohei Ohtani’s pitching return boost the Dodgers’ postseason chances?
Will Shohei Ohtani’s pitching return boost the Dodgers’ postseason chances?
ALREADY VOTED 0 PEOPLE
