Shohei Ohtani’s Struggles Continue

With Shohei Ohtani’s batting slump dragging on, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts announced that Ohtani will sit out another game. This could happen as soon as Wednesday, when Ohtani is set to pitch, or during Thursday’s final game of the series against the San Francisco Giants.

Roberts is considering a more extended break for Ohtani, potentially giving him an entire day off—no pitching, no hitting, nothing at all. It’s as if he might need a complete reset.

Currently, there’s little to suggest Ohtani will bounce back anytime soon, despite his impressive track record. His performance numbers are falling, and something seems off about his overall demeanor. It’s clear, even if he won’t admit to being exhausted or hurt, that he’s not at his best. His previous assertion about being a slow starter feels more like an excuse as his worries about early performance become evident.

Interestingly, Ohtani broke his routine of skipping batting practice right before the Dodgers suffered a 9-3 loss to the Giants. Just the week before, he had taken outdoor batting practice while playing against the Astros, signaling perhaps a shift in his mindset.

During practice, he hit with the bullpen behind him, and according to Dodgers hitting coach Aaron Bates, he felt more fatigued this time around, opting to hit after his bullpen session instead of the other way around. Ohtani had mentioned that balancing his hitting with pitching responsibilities has become challenging, limiting his ability to refine his swings.

In Monday’s practice, Ohtani cleared the right field pavilion but also grounded out much more than usual. After throwing 23 pitches in the bullpen, he seemed drained, and that lethargy carried over into his three at-bats, resulting in groundouts—two of which came with runners in scoring position.

Roberts noted that such performance might indicate an underlying anxiety, an observation that rings true given how Ohtani’s condition has deteriorated. He ended the game with two strikeouts, further reducing his batting average to .233, the lowest it has been since his MVP season in 2021. And he hasn’t hit a home run in his last 50 at-bats, marking a troubling trend in his game.

This dip in Ohtani’s performance is troubling not just for him but for a Dodgers team that has struggled recently, losing 13 of their last 22 games. Roberts himself described this as the worst he’s seen Ohtani at the plate.

There’s a theory that the drop in offensive output may stem from Ohtani not pitching regularly over the past two seasons with the Dodgers. His best stretch came in 2022 when he pitched and batted effectively. Additionally, with Ohtani turning 32 in July, the pressure to excel on both fronts might be weighing heavily on him.

Importantly, his hesitance to tie his hitting issues to his pitching role is understandable, as he has faced pushback throughout his career for being a two-way player. However, the Dodgers must also acknowledge the reality of the situation. When they brought Ohtani on board, it was with the intention of supporting his unique talent. If they don’t address his current limitations, they risk forcing him into a difficult decision about focusing on just one role.