Dodger Stadium was buzzing from all sides on 25th April during the highly anticipated Dodgers-Pirates matchup. The Los Angeles Dodgers’ star, who is usually the anchor of the lineup, didn’t look much like his usual self. On the other hand, the Pittsburgh Pirates’ 22-year-old star delivered a kind of pitch that will be talked about for the rest of this week. At the centre of it all? It’s Dodgers’ two-way phenom Shohei Ohtani and Pirates’ rookie pitcher Paul Skenes.
Yes, this much-awaited showdown was definitely expected to be fiery. What came as a shocker was the fact that it was a one-sided, dominated game. Skenes, whose high-velocity pitches usually exceed 100 mph, went straight against Ohtani this time. As it did, the reigning National League MVP took a big cut and swung through the pitch.
This pitch from Paul Skenes to Shohei Ohtani pic.twitter.com/syurkA8NoM
— MLB (@MLB) April 26, 2025
Just when the fans witnessed Ohtani in the batter’s box, missing the pitch, they were simply caught off guard. Sounds almost unbelievable, right? After all, it’s Shohei Ohtani we’re talking about; the once-in-a-generation kind of player. Naturally, everyone wearing Dodger blue was left wide-eyed. Eventually, the Pirates won by 3-o handing the Dodgers a painful defeat.
Before this matchup, there were just quiet whispers of Ohtani being caught in a hitting slump. But after this, fans have been growing certain about this. You see, the cracks were visible in the Dodgers-Cubs matchup.
When Shohei Ohtani went up against the Chicago Cubs, Dodgers’ manager Dave Roberts shared his stance on Ohtani’s ongoing stretch of struggles. According to Roberts, Ohtani is trying too hard instead of sticking to his usual approaches. Do you think that’s the case here? Because the Dodgers’ nation certainly thinks so and is disappointed as of now.
The Dodgers heavily rely on Ohtani, and if he’s really in a hitting slump, it doesn’t just affect him. It affects the entire Dodgerland.
Fans react to Skenes’ overpowering pitch against Ohtani
The Dodgers-Pirates clash featured two top talents of the league. On one side, it was the Dodgers’ Shohei Ohtani. On the other side, it was Paul Skenes, the 22-year-old, 2024 NL Rookie of the Year. Ultimately, it was a one-sided domination by Skenes. Just as the fans witnessed Ohtani’s swing, they were brutally honest, humorous, and ruthless about Ohtani’s slump.
One generational talent and one rising star, up against each other, the expectations from Ohtani were a little too high. And just as Skenes’ pitch dominated Ohtani in the batter’s box, fans struggled to process it. “This is disgusting” Such sentiments stem from the fans who believe that Ohtani is always going to deliver at the plate.
The word has been out there for a while now that Ohtani is in a hitting slump. Naturally, fans are heartbroken to witness that. “Ohtani’s slump is heartbreaking rn” Just after the Dodgers were swept away by the Cubs, Ohtani was under the spotlight. Well, honestly, it was his hitting slump that was topping the headlines. Over his last 14 games, he is batting .244. But isn’t it too early to panic? It’s Ohtani, the modern-day Babe Ruth. That comparison doesn’t come easily. He might come around sooner than we think.
Fans watched Ohtani’s missed swing on loop, only to wrap their heads around how it even happened. “Holy s—, he swung a foot over that Ohtani washed”. Sure, he was far off from his usual performance. It’s downright rare to see him at his worst. Just a mere seconds of his missed pitch clip has affected fans a bit too much.
Now, again, the wordplay was at its best. “Even tho Shohei just had a child.. Skenes is his daddy.” Fans took a shot at his latest personal milestone – entering Fatherhood. And when the 22-year-old Pirates star dominated the 30-year-old Dodgers’ star, fans were quick to draw the contrast.
Another sharp reaction came from a Pirates’ supporter: “Paul Skenes owns Shohei Ohtani”. Skenes delivered a stunning high-velocity pitch that collectively stunned everyone. But let’s not forget the remainder of the season is ahead of us.
This Pirates-Dodgers clash will leave a lasting impact for at least some time. For now, fans will be keeping a close eye on Ohtani till he turns things upside down and makes a strong comeback.
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