Overview
- Ohtani produced a two-way showcase Wednesday by leading off with a 424-foot homer and then pitching six hitless innings in a 4-1 Dodgers win.
- The start lowered his ERA to 0.82, placing him among the lowest ERAs through nine starts since 1913 according to ESPN Insights.
- Ohtani issued a season-high four walks, hit a batter and threw 56 of 99 pitches for strikes, and he told reporters he felt a persistent lack of command.
- Will Klein, Tanner Scott and Kyle Hurt combined to finish the game, preserving the win that completed a three-game sweep of the Rockies and kept the Dodgers atop the NL West.
- Despite elite rate statistics and growing Cy Young/MVP conversation, analysts note his two-way role and planned innings limits could leave him with fewer total innings than other candidates, which may affect award voting.