Shohei Ohtani Strikes Out in First 4 PAs; Dodgers Win 5-4
UPDATE: In a surprising turn of events, Los Angeles Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani struck out in his first four plate appearances during Tuesday night’s thrilling 5-4 victory against the Cincinnati Reds. This marks the first time in his eight-season career that Ohtani has recorded four strikeouts in a single game.
The reigning NL MVP struggled against Cincinnati’s pitching, particularly Nick Lodolo, who became the 13th pitcher to strike Ohtani out three times in one game. Ohtani chased a curveball out of the strike zone in both the first and fifth innings, and was caught looking at a 94.6 mph fastball in the third. Graham Ashcraft added to the challenges, whiffing Ohtani on an inside slider in the seventh inning.
This game was pivotal for Ohtani, who entered with a nine-game hitting streak and leads the majors with 100 runs scored. He also tops the National League in multiple categories, including slugging percentage at .620, total bases with 254, OPS at 1.001, and home runs with 38.
Interestingly, this marked Ohtani’s second game this season with four strikeouts, the first occurring on June 17 against the San Diego Padres. In a past encounter on July 17, 2021, while with the Los Angeles Angels, he similarly struck out four times after popping up in his first at-bat.
Ohtani came close to his first-ever five-strikeout game, but managed to fly out to right field on a 2-2 count in the ninth inning of a tightly contested 4-4 game.
Fans and analysts alike are left to wonder how this unusual performance will impact Ohtani’s upcoming games. With his impressive stats and undeniable talent, the baseball world will be watching closely. Will he bounce back in his next appearance? Stay tuned for updates on this developing story.
