Although it’s a weekday in September, it’s expected that a big ‘walk-up’ crowd will occur tonight in Game 2 of this three-game series against the Los Angeles Dodgers at PNC Park. Of course, the Dodgers are always a big attraction anytime they’re in town as one of the best brands of America’s pastime.
However, the juggernaut team they have assembled over the last few years – featuring three MVP players in the lineup consistently – and the addition of Shohei Ohtani to the mix last year, which helped
them win another World Series, has made them a worldwide brand. Of course, this is due to Ohtani, who is already among the GOAT debates in the long history of baseball and is one of the most well-known and polarizing athletes in the world right now.
Pittsburgh got to see Ohtani at the plate last season in epic battles against Paul Skenes. Skenes blew him away with three fastballs in the first at-bat, and Ohtani took a high fastball for a home run in his second at-bat.
But now Ohtani is back to doing what made him such a sensation to begin with, back on the mound and in the rotation for the first time as a Dodger in 2025, while being in the DH role in the lineup every day. Slowly working his way back up to more innings per start after recovering from another elbow surgery. Ohtani has a 4.18 ERA, 1.21 WHIP, and 44 strikeouts across 32.1 innings pitched. His fastball is still among the best starting pitchers in the game.
Unfortunately, a few hours ago, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts announced that he will be scratched from his start tonight and will only be in the DH role. Apparently, he was “under the weather” yesterday, which affected his bullpen session, and the team doesn’t feel great about him pitching until this weekend.
The one time Ohtani pitched against the Pirates was in 2023 with the Angels in Anaheim where he got the win despite giving up five runs in 6.1 innings pitched. Henry Davis hit two homes off of Ohtani.
