Just when it looks as though the Los Angeles Dodgers are at the pinnacle of baseball, Shohei Ohtani manages to step in and shake things up once again.
While playing on the road against the San Diego Padres on May 20, the Dodgers posted a clean 4-0 shutout, clinching the three-game series 2-1. This brings their overall record up to 31-19 as they hold the helm atop the NL West standings.
As the story tends to go with Los Angeles, Ohtani had much to do with this stunning victory.
By the end of the night, he had knocked his already impressive ERA down to 0.73, while registering four strikeouts across five innings of work. Not only was he exceptional on the mound, but he also smacked a jaw-dropping leadoff homer, sending the ball 405 feet to center field.
In the blink of an eye, the Dodgers had placed themselves on the board, giving themselves an early lead.
Despite the dramatic night, Ohtani kept his composure and even downplayed his performance after the game ended.
Ohtani Makes Statement Following Dodgers-Padres Matchup
GettyShohei Ohtani of the Los Angeles Dodgers running the bases
According to Adam Wells of Bleacher Report, Ohtani spoke with the media once the game wrapped up, and his statement was rather surprising and to the point. Instead of pure excitement, the 31-year-old slugger pointed out a deficit in his performance.
“The results were good, as you saw, but the process wasn’t great,” he stated, per Wells. “I do compartmentalize the hitting and pitching portions. At least that’s my intention.”
Whether the process was ideal or not in his eyes, Ohtani’s performance was exactly what the baseball world was hoping to see this week. Not only were Dodgers fans treated to an incredible victory, but Ohtani once again made a massive statement at the plate and on the mound.
Expectations have always been high for him, particularly in recent years, but more often than not, he exceeds them with what seems to be a level of ease.
Still, he has faced criticism time and time again, yet he manages to silence the noise fairly quickly, shutting down any looming doubts.
Ohtani Builds More Momentum
GettyShohei Ohtani of the Los Angeles Dodgers
After enduring a bit of a dry spell, Los Angeles fans can rest assured that Ohtani is back and is expected to continue gaining momentum.
He currently owns a slash line of .272/.399/.486 with a .885 OPS and eight homers through 49 games. For reference, he concluded his 2025 campaign slashing .282/.392/.622 with a glowing 1.014 OPS and 55 home runs through 158 games.
Now, Ohtani and the Dodgers are gearing up for a three-game series against the Milwaukee Brewers at American Family Field in Wisconsin. After such an exhilarating night against San Diego, the pressure is on for Ohtani to continue raising the bar.
As always, staying healthy is of the utmost importance for the franchise, but this is especially true for Ohtani, who is aiming to nab the NL Cy Young Award. This will depend on how the rest of his season plays out, but he isn’t typically one to slow down once he heats up.
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