In an unusual moment at Dodger Stadium, Shohei Ohtani’s walk-up song, “Feeling Good” by Michael Bublé, resonated, marking the start of a batting practice session on the field. His teammates responded with a round of sarcastic applause at this rare appearance. The Dodgers phenomenon, known for his skill in both facets of the game, hit impressive home runs, including one that impacted the roof beyond the right field stands. Ohtani’s decision to practice batting at the stadium, the first time since he joined the team two years ago, could reflect the urgency of the moment. Despite the Dodgers’ progress in the playoffs, Ohtani’s slump with the bat has persisted. In the wild card round, his performance has been only 2 hits in 25 at-bats, with 12 strikeouts. His single in Game 2 of the National League Championship Series last Tuesday broke a 15-inning hitless streak, the second-longest of his career.
Before Wednesday’s training, Ohtani denied that his double role in the postseason has impacted his batting performance. Ohtani hit two home runs in the wild card games against the Cincinnati Reds, but faced adversity against the Philadelphia Phillies’ left-handed pitchers, going 0 for 13 with seven strikeouts against Cristopher Sánchez, Jesús Luzardo, and Ranger Suárez. The Milwaukee Brewers have attempted a similar strategy, using their most effective left-handed relievers against him. Of Ohtani’s 40 plate appearances in these playoffs, 22 have been against left-handed pitchers, managing to get on base only three times.I don’t necessarily think pitching has affected my hitting performance.
Shohei Ohtani
Ohtani opened Game 1 of the National League Division Series on the mound, pitching six innings with three earned runs allowed. He was scheduled to pitch in Game 1 or 2 of the National League Championship Series, but was relegated to Game 4. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts explained that the decision was based on the strategy of aligning Blake Snell and Yoshinobu Yamamoto so they could potentially pitch twice in the series, rather than helping Ohtani overcome his slump with the bat. Roberts called Ohtani’s at-bats in Milwaukee “fantastic”, even though he only got one hit in seven at-bats. He highlighted the strike zone control, aggressiveness, and positives like fly balls and walks. In his first season with the Dodgers in 2024, Ohtani had a notable impact, with a batting average of .282/.392/.622, 55 home runs, and 20 stolen bases. In the 14 days that he also pitched, his offensive performance was slightly lower, with an average of .222/.323/.556. When asked if he has been readjusting to his dual role, Ohtani maintained his stance.I think it makes sense from a strategic point of view that they put a lot of left-handed pitchers against me. I’m really focused on having better quality at-bats. In that sense, I’ll always be working on that.
Shohei Ohtani
I know I might sound like I’m saying the same answer again, but I don’t think it really affected it. I feel like I was able to have a very good offensive season, being able to have quality at-bats throughout the season. It’s hard to say. But yes, the same answer as before.
Shohei Ohtani
