The Los Angeles Dodgers paid Shohei Ohtani handsomely this offseason. The early returns looked amazing. However, the past two weeks have been a struggle. Ohtani is in a slump, and it has affected the team. Los Angeles has dropped some easy series due to a lack of run production. It continued last night in a 1-0 loss to the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Los Angeles Dodgers Shohei Ohtani Slump
Since May 15, the stats have not been great for Shohei Ohtani. He is batting .215, having only 14 hits in that span. The Los Angeles Dodgers slugger has added two home runs, eight RBIs, and seven runs during that span. Twice during this stretch, Ohtani has gone three straight games without scoring a run. A month ago, he was leading the National League in many hitting categories but has quickly fallen down the ranks.
The Los Angeles Dodgers haven’t been as dominant over this stretch. They are a measly 10-9 over that stretch, with an embarrassing sweep at the hands of the Cincinnati Reds included. While the team is still over .500, thanks to many of the other star players on the roster, this team goes as their star player does.
What’s Wrong?
Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts was asked about Shohei Ohtani’s slump. He offered some insights into why the struggles are happening.
“His words, he doesn’t feel it when he’s swinging the bat,” Roberts said, via Mike DiGiovanna of the Los Angeles Times. “But he’s a finely tuned machine, and sometimes, in the context of a sports car, when it’s not firing on all cylinders, it just doesn’t run right. When his back was bothering him a little bit [in early May] you saw some funkier swings, a little bit more chase. His hamstring is bothering him a little bit, you see a little bit of the same thing. But I think that he’s getting close to where he needs to be physically. I think that staying to the big part of the field is a remedy.”
It seems like a combination of many factors. Shohei Ohtani may not be 100% healthy. In my personal viewing of the Los Angeles Dodgers recently, Ohtani does make some uncomfortable-looking swings. He clearly isn’t seeing the ball well.
Part of Baseball
This is part of baseball. Even the best hitters go through slumps at times. The good news for the Los Angeles Dodgers and Shohei Ohtani is this is happening in May/June and not in September. Barring a catastrophic collapse, this team will be in the mix for a World Series in October. However, this team has the most pressure out of any team. They shelled out over $1 billion and if they don’t win, it will be a huge disappointment.
About The Author
Matt Brown is one of the owners at Total Apex. He has been writing about sports and entertainment for over two years and currently works as a banker in Wisconsin. His passion for sports and entertainment knows no bounds, but football is the sport he follows most closely. However, he is never afraid to branch out, and you will see him talk about anything sports with anyone who will listen. Being a former Disney Store cast member, he will talk your ear off on anything Disney.
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