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 one of the worst slumps 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. 

Ohtani’s OPS topped 1.000 over the last three years, and 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 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 San Francisco Giants, delivering 105 pitches over seven innings.

Shohei Ohtani recorded a 67.6% strike rate, with 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, taking 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 claim that irregular resting is affecting his batting skills.

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. 

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. 

But he is not the only one not worried about the ‘slump.’ 

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.

Doc 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 RBIs, going 6-for-13 during the Freeway Series. Then he delivered seven shutout innings in the Giants game.

The Los Angeles Dodgers currently sit at 30-19 and hold first place in the NL West. While that’s still a comfortable record, Shotime anchors the top of the order. When he struggles to reach base or hit for power, it creates a domino effect that limits run-scoring opportunities for the rest of the lineup.

But 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 them 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. 

And Wednesday night showed the team knew what they were talking about.

Shohei Ohtani homered on the first pitch of the game before throwing five sharp innings of three-hit ball in the Dodgers’ 4-0 victory over the San Diego Padres. This was the two-way phenom’s eighth homer in the season and 27th career leadoff home run.

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. While his .885 OPS is the lowest, considering his above 1 score for the last 3 years, it’s probably too early to panic. Even Votto is encouraged by the fact that his OBP is strong, buoyed by a 15.1% walk rate that still ranks in the 90th percentile.

“He’s one game away from, all of a sudden, passing the .500, .550 slug and entering into the .950, 1.000 OPS territory,” Votto remarked. And probably, that game has happened for him already, with his SLG standing at .486.