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Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani is pitching like he wants to win a Cy Young Award, though his starts are not turning into wins.
Ohtani is only 2-2 on the season despite having an amazing 0.97 ERA through six starts in 2026.
He has pitched at least six innings in each start, enough to get wins, though he has come out with just two thus far.
In fact, over his last nine regular-season starts, dating back to 2025, Ohtani is the only pitcher to have pitched at least 50 innings, allowed no more than four earned runs total, and had no more than two wins, per research from Codify.
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May 5, 2026; Houston, Texas, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Shohei Ohtani (17) walks off the mound at the end of the first inning against the Houston Astros at Daikin Park. Mandatory Credit: Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images
After Ohtani’s start on Tuesday, May 5, Ohtani has the seventh-lowest run support in MLB, with an average of 2.83 runs per start.
Shohei Ohtani’s gem in Houston
Ohtani was dominant against the Astros, allowing just two runs, both of which came via solo home runs.
Other than two pitches, which were not necessarily errant, Ohtani had all of the answers for Houston and their hitters.
He went seven full innings, and despite still being in the 80s in pitch count, the Japanese sensation did not pitch in the 8th inning.
Ohtani got eight strikeouts and allowed two hits besides the home runs. His fastball was moving great and was thrown harder than it had been in 2026.
Additionally, the sweeper was tunneling at an elite level, leaving Jose Altuve looking foolish during a strikeout on a nasty pitch.
Mechanically, Ohtani is totally in sync, able to spin the ball and light up the radar gun, leading to weak contact or strikeouts.
Sadly, Ohtani got only one run from the Dodgers’ offense, which came after he left in the eighth inning.
He did not hit during his start, a major point of contention, meaning he could not help himself out with some offense.
Shohei Ohtani understands the Dodgers’ approach
While his pitching is better than it ever has been, his hitting has taken a step back from his all-world level.
In fact, he is slumping, and as a result, the Dodgers have decided to let him focus solely on pitching during his starts and take the day off the plate.
Rather than push back, Ohtani seems to understand the Dodgers’ decision to take him out as both a health precaution and a chance to get his hitting mechanics in order.
“If there was a situation where I was hitting well, I’m sure the team would want me to pitch and hit as well. I understand in this situation where just focus on the pitching, turn the page on hitting, I understand that the team might think like that,” Ohtani said after the Astros game.
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