CINCINNATI — Los Angeles Dodgers two-way star Shohei Ohtani had another first in his MLB career.
Ohtani struck out in his first four plate appearances against the Cincinnati Reds, the first time he has done that in his eight seasons and 981 games in the majors.
Against the Seattle Mariners on July 17, 2021, while playing for the Los Angeles Angels, Ohtani popped up to the shortstop in his first at-bat and then struck out in his next four times at the plate.
Despite Ohtani’s tough night at the plate, the Dodgers rallied for a 5-4 victory on an RBI double by Will Smith in the ninth inning.
“Tonight, I just don’t think he saw (Cincinnati starter Nick) Lodolo well at all, clearly. And I think he just got into swing mode,” manager Dave Roberts said. “When he’s (at his) best, he’s getting the baseball up, and he’s using the big part of the field. And especially in this ballpark where he doesn’t need to go to right field. But tonight, just one of those nights that he just couldn’t help him help himself from swinging.”
Ohtani came into the game on a nine-game hitting streak, where he had gone 11 for 36 with six home runs 13 RBIs and nine runs scored.
It is the sixth time the Japanese superstar and reigning NL MVP has struck out four times in a game. It is the second time this season, with the other coming against San Diego on June 17.
Lodolo became the 13th pitcher to strike out Ohtani three times in a game. The Reds left-hander got Ohtani to chase a curveball out of the strike zone in the first and fifth innings, and got him looking on a 94.6 mph fastball in the third.
“I was going right after him. I definitely threw some good heaters in some good spots and I was able to spin the ball well too as well,” Lodolo said.
Graham Ashcraft then whiffed Ohtani on an inside slider in the seventh.
Ohtani was one strike away from his first five strikeout game before he flew out to right field on a 2-2 count in the ninth inning of a 4-4 game. Smith was the next batter and delivered the game-winning hit.
Ohtani still leads the majors with 100 runs scored. He is atop the NL in slugging (.612), total bases (254), OPS (.989) and 38 home runs.
Roberts hopes Ohtani is more disciplined at the plate in the series finale because Nick Martinez is the same type of pitcher as Lodolo.
“Martinez is gonna be nibbling, and it’s going to be cutter and changeup down below. And he’s got to get back to the big part of the field and not chase down below,” Roberts said.
Ohtani also will be making his seventh pitching start of the season as the Dodgers look for him to go four innings as he comes back from Tommy John surgery on his right elbow in 2023. Ohtani is 0-0 with a 1.50 ERA.