All articles tagged with #ohtani
Ohtani continues to redefine two-way baseball, delivering a leadoff home run and posting a 0.73 ERA through eight starts, while the Ohtani Rule lets him stay in the lineup as his own DH and Dodgers employ strategic load management to maximize his historic production.
Roki Sasaki delivered his best MLB start yet for the Dodgers, tossing seven innings with eight strikeouts, one run allowed, and no walks as he continues refining a faster splitter and a slower forkball. The Dodgers also acquired left-hander Eric Lauer from the Blue Jays for cash, reportedly planning a long-relief role. Meanwhile, Shohei Ohtani tripled and scored on a late eighth-inning play in Anaheim, and former Dodger Ross Stripling, now in financial services, is pursuing work with athletes to plan life after baseball and curb early financial missteps.
Shohei Ohtani turned a ball that bounced off the right-field netting into a rally, scoring on a triple and an error as the Dodgers cruised to a 15-2 win over the Angels; he followed with a two-run double later, finishing with five RBIs after a recent slump.
Ohtani is thriving as a pitcher for the Dodgers, turning in another seven innings with eight strikeouts as the team safeguards his workload by giving him plate‑appearance “breathers.” Through six starts he sits with a 0.97 ERA, six quality starts, and a .160 opponent average, aided by improved fastball command and a smoother delivery after elbow/shoulder adjustments, hinting at a Cy Young‑caliber season even as his hitting takes a backseat for now.
Dodgers will have Shohei Ohtani pitch on Tuesday against the Marlins but sit him from hitting to balance his two-way workload, using five days’ rest for his start. He owns a 0.38 ERA through four starts and has shown recent hot hitting, going 3-for-3 with a homer and then another three-hit game, as the team aims to maximize his mound impact while preserving his bat and Cy Young aspirations.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts defended MLB's roster exception for Shohei Ohtani, saying his rare two-way talent justifies a six-man rotation with eight relievers; Cubs manager Craig Counsell criticized the rule as 'bizarre' and unfair since it gives one player different limits. The league's 26-man roster with a special exclusion for Ohtani is designed for a true two-way star, a benefit Roberts says any team would pursue, and the issue looms ahead of a Dodgers–Cubs series after a 12-3 win over the Rockies.
Shohei Ohtani dominated on the mound, spinning six innings of one-run ball with 10 strikeouts as the Dodgers beat the Mets 8-2 to complete the three-game sweep; with Ohtani focused on pitching as the DH, Dalton Rushing supplied the offense with a double and a grand slam in the eighth, helping LA improve to 14-4 on the season.
A season preview that centers MLB’s 2026 storylines on Shohei Ohtani’s return as a true two-way star, Aaron Judge’s pursuit of a third straight MVP, and Tarik Skubal anchoring a Tigers rotation, while a new wave of prospects, front-office moves, and two major off-field developments—a looming labor battle and a robot-umpire challenge system—shape how the season will be played and policed.
Opening Day 2026 places the Los Angeles Dodgers at the center of MLB as favorites to win a third straight title, led by Shohei Ohtani and a fortified roster after big free-agent adds; the year brings new automated ball-strike rules, a loaded AL East, and looming CBA negotiations that could shape how the season unfolds.
Shohei Ohtani and Aaron Judge are leading baseball into a new golden era, pairing unprecedented power and MVP dominance with Ohtani’s rare two-way brilliance that redefines value. Their impact is fueling record attendance and World Series viewership, while the game benefits from pace-of-play improvements; however, a looming 2026 labor lockout could threaten this momentum and the primes of the sport’s two biggest stars.
Japan’s bid to defend its World Baseball Classic crown ended with an 8-5 loss to Venezuela. Shohei Ohtani delivered another dominant batting display but Japan’s bullpen and late-game lapses cost them, ending their 20-year WBC reign and sending Ohtani back to Dodgers ahead of spring training and the 2026 season.
Samurai Japan’s shift toward power hitting and offense backfired in an 8-5 World Baseball Classic quarterfinal loss to Venezuela, revealing a lack of depth beyond Ohtani, Suzuki, and Yoshida and a pitching staff built on undersized, control-focused arms. With Ohtani unavailable to pitch and questions about Japan’s approach, the team must redefine its identity—balancing offense with defense and stronger pitching if it hopes to contend in future international events like the Olympics and the next WBC.
Venezuela staged a late rally to defeat defending champion Japan 8-5 in a World Baseball Classic quarterfinal, earning a spot in the tournament semifinals.
Shohei Ohtani called Japan's 8-5 World Baseball Classic quarterfinal loss to Venezuela 'really frustrating,' noting Japan had chances and that a late barrage of home runs by Venezuela swung the game after Japan led 5-2. He praised Venezuela's grit, stressed the need for Japan to keep developing, and indicated he’d be open to future international play—potentially at the 2028 Olympics—as MLB's participation in global events remains a topic. He also hinted that Japan's window isn’t closing and that the team has exciting players coming up for the future.
Shohei Ohtani belted a second-inning grand slam to spark Japan's 13-0 rout of Chinese Taipei in the World Baseball Classic opener at the Tokyo Dome, adding a double and an RBI single for five RBIs; Yoshinobu Yamamoto started for Japan with 2 2/3 scoreless innings as the hosts opened with a WBC-record 10 runs in the second.