It was supposed to be another moment in the Shohei Ohtani highlight reel — bright lights, tight game, and the sport’s biggest star stepping into a crucial at-bat. Ohtani’s bat went silent. The Phillies’ Cristopher Sánchez made him look uncharacteristically overmatched, and for the first time in a long time, Ohtani looked human. The Dodgers, undefeated until then, dropped a jarring 8–7 contest. But the score wasn’t the headline. Ohtani’s 0-for-4 night, including three strikeouts, stole the spotlight — for all the wrong reasons.
Fans didn’t just see a rare off-night; they saw a superstar searching for answers. The timing was off. The swing was rushed. The confidence? Fading with each whiff. And the timing couldn’t have been worse. Shohei Ohtani, still recovering from elbow surgery, hasn’t resumed throwing yet. Questions about when — or even if — he’ll pitch again this season hang in the air. Now, after this loss, questions about his hitting approach have joined the conversation.
“Shohei had no answer for him,” Mark DeRosa, an MLB insider, said bluntly. “He’s the first guy that I’ve seen Shohei go up and get in the box against that he looks really uncomfortable. You see him on his front foot. He doesn’t know what’s coming.” For a player who’s built his reputation on poise, pitch recognition, and explosive power, that’s a bold review.
“Shohei had no answer for him. He’s the first guy that I’ve seen Shohei go up and get in the box against that he looks really uncomfortable [against].”
– @markdero7 on Cristopher Sánchez pic.twitter.com/ktVi6iU6Qm
— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) April 7, 2025
And here’s where it gets messier — that massive $700 million contract? It reportedly includes an opt-out clause if key Dodgers executives leave. Translation: Ohtani may hold more influence than many anticipated. For a team already under pressure to win, no, the idea that their star slugger could pull the plug mid-deal is unsettling. Add in his current on-field struggles, and you’ve got a storyline that’s heating up fast.
This isn’t panic mode. But it is a reminder: the weight of expectations is heavier in L.A. Ohtani isn’t just here to be great — he’s here to be flawless. And when he looks shaken, the ripple effect hits everyone, from fans to the front office. Baseball’s most electrifying player just had one of his dullest nights. The question now isn’t if he’ll bounce back — it’s how soon, and what happens if he doesn’t?
Is Shohei Ohtani’s timing off or just the league catching up?
Sure, his last game at the plate raised eyebrows — but Shohei Ohtani might soon be the one flipping the script from the mound. The two-way sensation is steadily ramping up his throwing program, tossing a 26-pitch bullpen session that manager Dave Roberts called “positive.” This isn’t just for show. Roberts outlined a careful progression plan that keeps Ohtani on a seven-day rhythm, mirroring a starting pitcher’s workload. “It’s just more trying to keep him on a similar seven-day program… and build from there,” he told ESPN. Translation: The wheels are turning.
Oct 30, 2024; New York, New York, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers two-way player Shohei Ohtani (17) reacts after striking out during the fifth inning against the New York Yankees in game four of the 2024 MLB World Series at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images
A return to the mound in May is still very much possible— and you can feel the anticipation building. Ohtani hasn’t thrown a pitch in an MLB game since 2023, but when he does, he’s expected to slot into a rotation already stacked with Tyler Glasnow, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, and rookie phenom Roki Sasaki. The Dodgers aren’t rushing him — not with $700 million on the line — but the idea of Shohei Ohtani dealing 100 mph fastballs again? That’s the kind of electricity that could supercharge this already fearsome team.
In essence, one ugly game doesn’t undo years of dominance. That’s the case for Shohei Ohtani. But it does remind us that even baseball’s unicorn can look mortal. For now, the Phillies cracked the code, and the world saw Shohei flinch. How he responds? That’s the real story to watch.
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