The Los Angeles Dodgers snapped their four-game losing streak by defeating the San Francisco Giants behind another stellar pitching start from Shohei Ohtani.
The two-way star threw seven shutout innings, allowing just four hits while striking out eight and walking two. Ohtani at one point retired six consecutive hitters and followed that up with a stretch of setting down eight batters in a row.
“Just did what I know I had to do today and also collaborating with the pitching coach and Will Smith,” Ohtani said through interpreter Will Ireton after the Dodgers’ 4-0 win. “Just reading and reacting the hitters’ swings.”
It was yet another dominant pitching performance by Ohtani amid a sentiment he has a goal of winning the National League Cy Young Award. The reality is he’s focused on making an impact all around.
“The ideal situation is to be great on both sides of the ball. But how I look at it is, if I’m not contributing offensively, then I know I can contribute on the pitching side of things,” he said. “And vice versa. So I kind of take it as that.”
Beyond Ohtani, offense has been a struggle for the Dodgers as of late, but the group managed to provide him with enough run support. It was the first time since April 15 that L.A. won a game with the 31-year-old on the mound.
“I’m not really too worried about that,” Ohtani said of the Dodgers’ offensive woes. “In terms of the run support, I appreciate it. But as a hitter, I know there are days when you just can’t hit. Everybody’s intention is to score runs.”
While Ohtani continued his dominance as a pitcher, he wasn’t in the Dodgers lineup for the fourth time in seven starts on the mound this season. Manager Dave Roberts wanted to give Ohtani some extra as he believes the two-way star has been experiencing fatigue at the plate.
“First and foremost, the fact that I’m not injured is a good thing,” Ohtani said. “I do want to contribute more offensively. I haven’t done so this year, so I’m looking forward to doing that.”
Ohtani will also be held out of the Dodgers lineup for Thursday’s series finale against the Giants as the team looks to give him a bit of a mental break. He is mired in a 6-for-42 slump (.143) over his last 12 games as a hitter.
“I talked to the team, and I’m good with it,” Ohtani said. “My last at-bat as a hitter [Tuesday] was really good, so I want to continue that momentum whenever I get to hit again.”
Shohei Ohtani happy with progress as pitcher
After keeping the Giants off the scoreboard, Ohtani now owns an MLB-best 0.82 ERA, 2.38 FIP, 0.82 WHIP and 10.2 strikeouts per nine in 44 innings pitched this season.
“The feeling is pretty good,” Ohtani said of his success. “I feel really good with my pitches. But today, the deep fly ball to end the seventh inning, that could’ve really swayed my ERA. So I think there’s some luck involved as well.”
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