Ohtani’s slump tests Dodgers before power surge, stance tweak sparks resurgence
Shohei Ohtani, in his first notable hitting slump since joining the Dodgers, went 3-for-23 with no extra-base hits over six games as the team weighed how his heavy pitching workload affects his hitting. After critics warned of a slump, he tweaked his batting stance and responded with a multi-hit burst, including a 109 mph double and a 110 mph opposite-field homer, to help the Dodgers beat back the slump. Manager Dave Roberts and Freddie Freeman stressed that even superstars are human and that balancing his two-way duties remains a challenge, though Ohtani has still been dominant on the mound with a 0.38 ERA through four starts. The coming weeks will test how well he can sustain the dual roles while continuing to improve at the plate.
