SAN DIEGO –– Ohtani Leads Dodgers to Victory
Shohei Ohtani kicked off the game with a bang. After wrapping up his pitching duties, he couldn’t help but let out a triumphant roar. The Dodgers secured the series win in San Diego, finishing the night with a 4-0 score against the Padres.
It had been nearly a month since Ohtani last took on both roles in a game, but he truly shined this time—scoring a lead-off home run and putting in five solid innings without allowing a run.
For one night at least, he quelled any early-season worries regarding the toll of his dual role.
Interestingly, the last game where Ohtani played like this was just a minute long.
In his previous three outings, the four-time MVP hadn’t batted, while earlier this season, he struggled at the plate, managing only 1-for-10 without hitting any home runs in the limited at-bats he had.
A recent highlight of his career was last October’s NL Championship Series, where he famously accomplished the feat of hitting three home runs and striking out ten batters in a single game.
Wednesday’s challenge, thankfully, wasn’t quite as monumental. Still, Ohtani managed to dazzle.
Right off the bat, he smacked a high fastball from Padres pitcher Randy Vazquez, making history again by hitting a lead-off home run. He’d previously made waves in last year’s NLCS as the first pitcher in MLB history to do so, and here he was, repeating that achievement in a regular-season game.
Following that, Ohtani took the mound and effortlessly retired the first nine batters he faced, only facing a little pressure in the fourth and fifth innings.
The fifth inning was nerve-wracking, especially after the Padres managed to load the bases with one out. However, Ohtani stepped up to the challenge, forcing Fernando Tatis Jr. into a ground ball that ended the inning in a double play.
When he finally left the mound, he celebrated with an enthusiastic roar.
Meanwhile, the Dodgers (31-19) extended their lead further. Max Muncy hit a double and later scored on Teoscar Hernandez’s sacrifice fly. Ohtani, after drawing a walk, crossed the plate on Kyle Tucker’s RBI.
From then on, the game settled down. The Dodgers’ bullpen maintained their solid performance, shutting out the Padres in the fourth inning. In the ninth, Hernandez added a solo shot for good measure.
But honestly, the standout performance was, undoubtedly, Ohtani—his prowess with both bat and ball left a lasting impression.
What It Means
The Dodgers are leaving with the lead in the National League West, just as they had when they first arrived at Petco Park earlier this week.
This wasn’t the case when the series began on Monday; the Padres had edged them out in a close 1-0 game. Following a comeback win on Tuesday, the Dodgers reversed the tides with Wednesday’s sold-out finale, notching their sixth shutout of the season and moving 1.5 games ahead of their rivals in Southern California.
Who Is Hot
Obviously, Ohtani is at the center of it all—and he’s no longer just a pitcher.
With an impressive 0.73 ERA, he leads all pitchers with 40 or more innings pitched. His bat also seems to be heating up, as he enjoyed a strong performance leading up to this game.
After going 1-for-4 on Wednesday, including drawing a walk, Ohtani has managed to reach base multiple times for seven consecutive games. During that stretch, he has maintained a .481 batting average with seven extra-base hits and ten RBIs in 34 at-bats.
This brings his season batting average to .272, with an OPS of .885—his best figures since the end of April.
While there’s still talk about his Cy Young candidacy, his trajectory points towards yet another potential MVP honor, having already achieved over 3.0 total wins above replacement this season—the first in the National League to do so.
Who Is Not?
With all the early season scrambles, it sometimes felt as though Ohtani might consider stepping back from his two-way role entirely.
It’s clear that the risks associated with this dual role are significant. Just last week, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts acknowledged Ohtani’s fatigue and granted him a couple of days off.
Yet, Wednesday served as a counterpoint, reminding everyone just how impactful Ohtani can be when he’s at his best—realizing a dream that few have even thought possible.
To the Next
The Dodgers will have a day off on Thursday before heading to Milwaukee for a three-city road trip finale. Justin Wroblewski (6-1, 2.49 ERA) will take the mound against Brewers right-hander Logan Henderson (1-1, 3.50 ERA) in the series opener on Friday.
