Shohei Ohtani is facing a unique challenge. When he goes hitless for a few games, when the timing looks just a tick off, when the ball doesn’t explode off his bat the way it usually does, the frustration shows. And why wouldn’t it? For someone who has operated on the edge of perfection, even a small dip feels like failure. This time, the Dodgers shortstop, Mookie Betts, got candid about the player whose standards are so high, even the slightest lapse eats at him.
Recently back from paternity leave, new dad Ohtani has quietly slumped through the last couple of weeks, but now, with the calendar turning and the sample size growing, the opening-month struggles feel less like a blip and more like a burden. He recorded his first hit since returning from the paternity list during the Dodgers’ road trip to Chicago on the 23rd. But in the three games since, the struggles have persisted. Just one hit in 12 at-bats. Two walks. Five strikeouts!
The same guy who achieved the unprecedented feat of 50 HRs and 50 SBs last year!
For anyone else, it might be chalked up to a routine slump. For Ohtani, every at-bat carries weight. Yes, that’s the level of expectations he carries on his shoulder. “He’s human, and I think we’re all so used to him not doing anything bad.” Nikkansports cited Mookie Betts. “But he can have a streak of down years, just like any other player. We’ve seen the opposite all the time.” The standards and milestones set by Ohtani made the fans believe only in miracles. It is a tough pill to acknowledge that even Ohtani can have a rough patch, and he can miss a familiar script.
Remember June 2024, when Shotime hit only .188 with a .563 OPS? But how he eventually ended the year was nothing short of historic. Will that scene be repeated this year? The last game against the Cubs reflected otherwise.
On Wednesday night against the Cubs, the Dodgers, again trying to snap out of an early-season lull, Ohtani stepped to the plate with a familiar script unfolding. Another tight game, another late-inning opportunity, and a chance for the superstar to flip the momentum. However, the story didn’t end the way it usually does.
In the Dodgers’ eventual 7–6 loss against the Cubs, the defining sequence became one of missed execution. Ohtani worked himself into a favorable 2-and-0 count — the kind of situation where he so often pounces. This time, he chased. A fastball, high and tight, out of the zone. He lunged, popped it up harmlessly to short, and with it went the Dodgers’ best chance at a comeback! Now that’s not a typical Ohtani-like ending.
Be that as it may, it would still be wrong to conclude that the Dodgers’ recent slump is all due to Ohtani.
The Dodgers’ woes are beyond Ohtani
The high-profile arrivals of Japanese phenom Roki Sasaki and seasoned free agent Blake Snell were meant to bolster a Dodgers rotation already rich with talent. Their signings sparked visions of dominance — a blend of electric youth and battle-tested experience.
But the harsh reality of a long season in the majors set in quickly.
Sasaki, despite flashing the elite stuff that made him a global sensation, has endured the inevitable growing pains of a rookie adjusting to a new league, a new culture, and relentless competition. The potential is there — undeniable, even — but it remains untapped, still waiting to click into place. Well, his 3.20 ERA and 0-1 record till now are not justifying his potential to the fullest. However, Sasaki was not a ready project, and it might be too soon in the 2025 campaign to pass any sweeping judgments.
Snell, meanwhile, has been unable to build momentum. After an encouraging start (2.00 ERA), his season was abruptly paused by shoulder inflammation that’s now kept him from throwing and left his return date uncertain. For a team counting on his veteran steadiness, the setback is more than just a medical note — it’s a blow to the staff’s identity.
The team, once projected as unbeatable, is now in a pool of multifaceted issues. Again, the hope is on Shohei Ohtani to pull off a miracle. “Ohtani’s slump is one of the reasons for the Dodgers’ recent poor performance, but the team expects him to make a spectacular comeback at any time,” Sporting News shared the emotions of all the Dodgers fans. What do you think?
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