His two-way prowess already has been deemed legendary, although the Los Angeles Dodgers are hoping Shohei Ohtani can show signs of improvement when he takes the mound Wednesday in the finale of a three-game series against the visiting Cincinnati Reds.
Ohtani (0-1, 4.61 ERA) had his worst start in a Dodgers uniform last Wednesday at Colorado when he gave up five runs on nine hits over four innings. One of those hits went off Ohtani’s right leg, although he did not leave the game until after the fourth inning was complete.
“I just don’t think Shohei had his best stuff,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “The fastball wasn’t as good as it typically is. The breaking ball wasn’t as sharp. The cutter, the same thing. I just think (it) wasn’t his night.”
Ohtani also was not at his best in his previous start against his former team, the Los Angeles Angels, and has allowed a combined nine runs on 14 hits over 8 1/3 innings of the two outings.
And yet Roberts seems to have complete confidence that Ohtani will deliver Wednesday in order to finish off a three-game series sweep. The Dodgers are looking for Ohtani to reach five innings in his 11th start since returning from Tommy John revision surgery in 2023.
“When you go through a six-man (rotation), you know it’s not a piggyback situation,” Roberts said about not having an extra pitcher available that can pick up bulk innings in the event of a shorter start. “Shohei understands that. So to be able to get him through five innings and shorten the game, it’s important.”
“(It’s) going to be a nice, nice afternoon, and I expect him to go out there and get through five innings.”
In two career starts against the Reds, Ohtani has a 4.15 ERA, but it has come in just 4 1/3 innings, including a three-inning start at Cincinnati on July 30 when he pitched through a cramp in his right hip.
The Reds will counter with left-hander Nick Lodolo (8-6, 3.05), who is returning from a blister that landed him on the injured list earlier this month. Lodolo, a Los Angeles-area native, gave up two runs over 5 1/3 innings in his lone start against the Dodgers earlier this season, a 5-4 LA win.
“Don’t get me wrong. The environment (at Dodger Stadium) is one of the best in baseball, so that alone gets you excited,” Lodolo said, according to the Cincinnati Enquirer. “But we all know that every game at this point is pretty important going forward, especially when you get to September. I don’t think we need any extra motivation.”
The Reds had a chance to move into a tie for the third wild-card spot in the National League last Wednesday but lost 2-1 to the Los Angeles Angels. They are 1-4 since then and dropped to 3 1/2 games behind the New York Mets for the last wild-card position.
After a 6-3 loss to Los Angeles on Tuesday, Cincinnati is 3-5 on its three-city, nine-game road trip that ends Wednesday.
On Tuesday, the Reds had just one run on two hits over five innings against Dodgers veteran Clayton Kershaw, who didn’t throw a pitch over 89.5 mph. Austin Hays hit a two-run home run but that came against right-hander Ben Casparius.
–Field Level Media
