The Dodgers’ recent slide has been hard to ignore. With only four wins in their last ten games—and a humbling sweep at the hands of the Angels—the team has looked more fragile than formidable. But on Demon Slayer Friday Night at Dodger Stadium, the script flipped. In a tight 3-2 win over the rival Padres, the Dodgers not only snapped their funk but clawed back into a tie for first place in the NL West. Still, beneath the surface, cracks remain. The injured list keeps growing, the rotation is still in pieces, and now even a veteran slugger has joined the ranks of the sidelined. And so, inevitably, the conversation circles back to Shohei Ohtani.
Just a few months ago, when injuries ravaged the Dodgers’ starting rotation, speculation swirled about whether Ohtani might accelerate his recovery and take the mound sooner than expected. Now the concern has shifted. With the offense sputtering, stars sidelined, and the club struggling to produce in big moments, Ohtani is once again being asked to carry the load—this time with his bat. And amid the uncertainty, Ohtani just unveiled a twist no one saw coming. Something that even surprised MLB analysts!
“Another thing today that I haven’t seen in a while. Shohei Ohtani shortens his swing to put the ball in play. What? Yeah, his swing has gotten a little bit shorter, but I haven’t seen it that short in a while, where he just made contact and it wasn’t a base hit or anything. It was a fielder’s choice, but with his speed, obviously, he beat it out,” MLB analyst Pete Fox shared this view on an episode of Locked on Dodgers.
Baseball: MLB, Baseball Herren, USA Championship Series Los Angeles Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani draws a walk in the seventh inning of Game 2 of the National League Championship Series against the New York Mets at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles on Oct. 14, 2024. PUBLICATIONxINxAUTxBELxBIHxBULxCZExDENxESTxFINxFRAxGEOxGERxGRExHUNxISLxIRLxITAxLATxLTUxLUXxLIExMKDxNORxPORxPOLxROUxSVKxSUIxSRBxSLOxESPxTURxUKxUAExONLY A14AA0003584573P
Well, Shohei Ohtani’s swing has always been that perfect blend of precision and raw power. The kind that makes pitchers dread seeing him step into the box. Known for his big, explosive swing, Ohtani has recently shortened it up. A tweak aimed at giving him more control over the Dodgers’ offense and keeping his timing sharp.
Even with the adjustment, his mechanics still stand out. His stride length, for instance, is 51.8%—a bit longer than Aaron Judge’s 47.9%. But not quite as extended as Juan Soto’s 66.3%. And then there’s his bat speed. Ohtani averages 75.5 mph, comfortably above the league average of 72 mph. This shows that even with a more compact swing, he’s still generating elite power.
Now, with a tighter swing, Ohtani can adjust more easily mid-swing. He makes it harder for pitchers to beat him with location or off-speed pitches. And because he already generates elite bat speed, he doesn’t lose much—if any—power by making his swing more compact.
And all these are coming just when the Dodgers are facing a new injury scare. Max Muncy!
Reportedly, Muncy hit the injured list again on Friday. The second time this season, after an MRI showed a Grade 1 strain in his right oblique. The 34-year-old was scratched from a recent game with soreness in his side. And while Dave Roberts made it clear the injury isn’t season-ending, he did say Muncy will be out “absolutely longer than the 10 days.“
Hence, with Muncy sidelined and a platoon now forming at third base, the Dodgers will be leaning even more on Shohei Ohtani to carry a bigger share of the offensive load.
Shohei Ohtani is a beacon of hope amid the Dodgers’ historic offensive slump
“I just don’t like the way that they’re playing,” MLB analyst Tom Verducci said. “The offense isn’t as good as we thought.“
Well, the Dodgers’ offense has been one of the most productive in baseball this season. But it hasn’t been without its rough patches. On paper, they’re near the top of the league in nearly every key offensive category. For instance, they are ranked second in runs per game at 5.16 as of August 17, 2025, while also excelling in home runs, OBP, and OPS. But the numbers don’t tell the full story.
The Dodgers have endured stretches where the bats went cold. Earlier this month, they managed just 3.4 runs per game over a 10-game span and were held to three runs or fewer in six of those contests.
Enter Shohei Ohtani. While the team has battled inconsistency, Ohtani has continued to deliver. He shouldered a heavier load when the offense needed him most. He’s homered in four straight games, and while each of those shots has been a solo homer, the impact goes beyond the runs themselves.
Moreover, he had already crossed the plate 115 times this season, putting him on pace for 154 if he plays the Dodgers’ final 41 games.
So, for the Dodgers, this kind of production isn’t just a luxury—it’s a necessity. As they look ahead to the grind of October baseball, Ohtani’s bat gives them stability during offensive droughts. And his ability to dominate on the mound offers a rare, game-changing weapon that no other team can match.
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