Ohtani returns to dual role as Dodgers face Padres in series finale

Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Shohei Ohtani is expected to both pitch and bat in Wednesday’s Major League Baseball game against the San Diego Padres at Petco Park. This marks Ohtani’s first dual appearance since April 22, following a period where he focused exclusively on pitching due to an early-season hitting slump. The game serves as the series finale between the two rivals.

Ohtani currently holds a 3-2 record with a 0.82 earned run average through seven starts. This ERA is the sixth-lowest in MLB for a pitcher’s first seven starts since the wild-card era began in 1994, and the second-lowest in Dodgers history, trailing only Fernando Valenzuela’s 0.29 ERA in 1981. In his most recent start against the San Francisco Giants, Ohtani threw seven scoreless innings with eight strikeouts and four hits allowed, securing a 4-0 victory.

On the offensive side, Ohtani is currently on a six-game hitting streak, raising his batting average from .233 to .272, with five multiple-hit games. He has seven home runs for the season, with only one hit in May. Betting markets list Ohtani as a -350 favourite for the NL MVP award and +550 for the NL Cy Young Award.

The Padres are led by starting pitcher Randy Vasquez, who has a 5-1 record and a 2.68 ERA. Vasquez has seen his four-seamer velocity increase to an average of 94.9 mph. He is the third-most profitable pitcher in the majors, with the team posting an 8-1 record in his nine starts. Ohtani has gone 0-for-5 with three strikeouts against Vasquez in previous matchups.

Padres closer Mason Miller is likely unavailable after pitching both games of the series and taking a loss on Tuesday. The Dodgers have a built-in off day on Thursday, which factored into the decision to allow Ohtani to return to the lineup as a hitter.