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Shohei Ohtani dominating MLB is what everyone expected. He is, however, dominating in a different way than we all expected. The baseball world is trained to look for the ridiculous home runs, the exit velocity, the lineup protection, and the nightly offensive fireworks. Instead, Sho is taking over games from the mound, where the Dodgers needed him most. Ohtani is good at baseball. That’s not the headline. He’s an insane talent, and quite possibly the greatest baseball player of all time. And yes, we can argue about that later.
MORE: Fernando Tatis Jr. needs a change of scenery, and one team makes the most sense
His ERA, however, is the headline. Ohtani’s ERA now stands at 0.82 through seven starts. That is not just a hot start, friends. That is historically obnoxious. And the comparison is sitting right there in Dodger blue. Not because Ohtani is Fernando Valenzuela. Nobody is. But because the early-season pitching dominance is so loud that you have to at least put it in the same conversation.
May 13, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers two-way player Shohei Ohtani (17) delivers a pitch in the third inning against the San Francisco Giants at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images
The numbers are just plain stupid. Ohtani has 50 strikeouts, 11 walks, and only four earned runs over 44 innings. Of those 44 innings, 38 have been scoreless. He has lasted at least six innings in all seven starts and has led the National League in ERA after every single start.
Valenzuela’s 1981 start created Fernandomania almost immediately. He shut out Houston on Opening Day, allowed one run in his next start, then ripped off three straight complete-game shutouts. His eighth start was the first time he allowed as many as two runs. That is ridiculous, and it remains one of the most culturally powerful pitching runs the sport has ever seen.
May 13, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers two-way player Shohei Ohtani (17) delivers a pitch in the first inning against the San Francisco Giants at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images
Ohtani’s version is different, and that is the point. He is not throwing complete games every five days like 1981 Valenzuela, because baseball does not operate like that anymore. Instead, he is dominating inside the modern pitching ecosystem of managed workload, extra rest, and no wasted innings. And yet Sho’s still overwhelming hitters every time he gets the ball.
Valenzuela became a phenomenon because dominance met timing, market, personality, and something bigger than baseball. And I’ll just say it. Fernando was a movement, and Ohtani is now right up there with him. Shohei Ohtani is still doing Shohei Ohtani things – just not in the lane everyone had circled first.
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MORE: Fernando Tatis Jr. needs a change of scenery, and one team makes the most sense
Ohtani’s ERA Is Entering Historic Territory
His ERA, however, is the headline. Ohtani’s ERA now stands at 0.82 through seven starts. That is not just a hot start, friends. That is historically obnoxious. And the comparison is sitting right there in Dodger blue. Not because Ohtani is Fernando Valenzuela. Nobody is. But because the early-season pitching dominance is so loud that you have to at least put it in the same conversation.
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May 13, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers two-way player Shohei Ohtani (17) delivers a pitch in the third inning against the San Francisco Giants at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images
The Numbers Are Completely Absurd
The numbers are just plain stupid. Ohtani has 50 strikeouts, 11 walks, and only four earned runs over 44 innings. Of those 44 innings, 38 have been scoreless. He has lasted at least six innings in all seven starts and has led the National League in ERA after every single start.
Valenzuela’s 1981 start created Fernandomania almost immediately. He shut out Houston on Opening Day, allowed one run in his next start, then ripped off three straight complete-game shutouts. His eighth start was the first time he allowed as many as two runs. That is ridiculous, and it remains one of the most culturally powerful pitching runs the sport has ever seen.
You must be registered for see images
May 13, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers two-way player Shohei Ohtani (17) delivers a pitch in the first inning against the San Francisco Giants at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images
Ohtani’s Dominance Looks Different in the Modern Era
Ohtani’s version is different, and that is the point. He is not throwing complete games every five days like 1981 Valenzuela, because baseball does not operate like that anymore. Instead, he is dominating inside the modern pitching ecosystem of managed workload, extra rest, and no wasted innings. And yet Sho’s still overwhelming hitters every time he gets the ball.
Valenzuela became a phenomenon because dominance met timing, market, personality, and something bigger than baseball. And I’ll just say it. Fernando was a movement, and Ohtani is now right up there with him. Shohei Ohtani is still doing Shohei Ohtani things – just not in the lane everyone had circled first.
— Enjoy free coverage of the top news & trending stories on The Big Lead —
Continue reading...
