Shohei Ohtani has hit just 7 home runs with a .272 batting average in 44 games. This is a huge drop from his usual 54 or 55 home run pace, marking the worst slump of his career. Fans have started criticizing him heavily, but Mookie Betts was stunned by the quick panic.

“If he doesn’t get a hit or maybe has a couple bad games, it’s like, what’s wrong with Shohei?” Betts reacted strongly in a Bleacher Report podcast on May 19. 

Because Ohtani’s OPS topped 1.000 over the last three years, fans expect him to be elite every single game. But Betts sees it differently. Ohtani’s two-way dominance on the mound is being completely overlooked. Betts pointed it out for the fans, saying, “You forget all the other ways that he really affects the game.”

Ohtani has appeared in seven games as a starting pitcher and has a 0.82 ERA in 2026. The lowest he has thrown is 87 pitches, but he has never covered fewer than 6 innings. His last start was against the Giants, where he delivered 105 pitches over seven innings. Shohei Ohtani recorded a 67.6% strike rate, recording 8 strikeouts while allowing only 4 hits and 2 singles without a run. 

“I’m like, hey, this is ridiculous, Mookie added. “Sitting on the bench expecting a guy to go and do this in a major league game is insane.”

However, there has been noise regarding his two-way role having a toll on his overall performance. Some fans have debated that the high number of throws is affecting his arm. Managers usually pull the SPs before reaching 100-pitches in a game, while Ohtani has gone beyond the threshold twice this season. 

Expert Joey Votto has argued that the added strain is slowly impacting his mechanics. At the same time, fans have claimed that irregular resting is affecting his batting skills as well. Notably, manager Dave Roberts doesn’t allow Ohtani to bat on the days he pitches. Fans indicate that the inconsistency in the batter’s box is breaking the routine. 

However, the superstar himself admitted that his offense isn’t at the expected level. But he has brushed off any question of exhaustion from his two-way role. 

“I do feel young. I feel good. At my peak,” Ohtani added. 

And he is not the only one not worried about the ‘slump’. In fact, the entire clubhouse has the opposite idea. 

Dave Roberts and the Dodgers have rallied behind Ohtani during the slump

The manager has publicly defended his biggest star. He admitted that the lack of power in his bat is a natural impact from his two-way role. But unlike the fans, he takes it rather positively. He understands that Ohtani needs rest. That’s why he took him off the team for consecutive games in mid-May to force a physical and mental reset. 

And after he rejoined, he responded with seven RBI as he went 6-for-13 during the Freeway Series. Then he delivered seven shutout innings in the Giants game. The Dodgers currently sit at 30-19 and hold first place in the NL West. The team understands Ohtani’s value, and despite fan panic, he remains highly effective.

Roberts has shown confidence in him, calling it a short-term hurdle that the player will eventually overcome. And that echoes the voice of the entire clubhouse. 

His teammates think that having him on the team is enough for the team to appear as dangerous against the rival pitchers. Besides, Ohtani bats directly between Betts and Freddie Freeman. Both these former MVPs give little room for the opposing arms to pitch around Ohtani. 

Mookie Betts and Shohei Ohtani have been teammates since 2024. But it’s not just usual camaraderie. Betts understands the daily burden Ohtani goes through. That’s why he thinks the panic over his below-elite-level batting numbers is unfounded. And most importantly, the recent slump hasn’t changed how the clubhouse sees him – as one of baseball’s most uniquely dominant forces.