Ohtani’s Expectations Can’t Be Matched

Shohei Ohtani’s incredible expectations are becoming daunting to meet. This season with the Dodgers, his performance at the plate has dipped a bit, with a batting average of .265 and an OPS of .850. While those stats are decent for most players, they feel a bit underwhelming for a four-time MVP like him, which has led to some criticism about his performance.

Teammate Mookie Betts, though, thinks people are overlooking the bigger picture. “I see it this way: if he has a rough game here and there, I think, ‘What’s up with Sho?’ But then you remember he pitched seven innings and only gave up two hits. His ERA is 0.7. It’s easy to forget how else he contributes to the game,” Betts commented.

Joe Adell, who played with Ohtani on the Angels, echoed similar sentiments. “The crazy thing is, he’d take the lead and manage his pitches like any other player, only to then pitch seven innings with minimal hits and no runs. We’ve come to expect that from him,” Adell shared.

It’s astonishing to think how a player can sit on the bench during a major league game and yet do something so extraordinary, right? Sure, Ohtani’s hitting hasn’t met his own sky-high standards, but his pitching remains elite. After a recent game against the San Francisco Giants, he boasts an impressive ERA of 0.82, having allowed only four earned runs this whole season.

In fact, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts opted to rest Ohtani for two games against the Giants recently. “It was beneficial. He seems more refreshed and has a better swing now. He’s not forcing it,” Roberts noted.

Since that brief break, Ohtani has gone 10-for-19, bringing in eight RBIs while helping the Dodgers win four out of five games against the Angels and Padres.