Amidst the explosive start of Mookie Betts and the scary consistency of the Los Angeles Dodgers squad, one name is yet to start hitting bombs. The string of below-average performances by Shohei Ohtani has worried the Dodgers fans. With the $700 million superstar still trying to find his footing amidst personal controversies one wonders whether personal turmoil has started to overpower Ohtani’s professional talents.

2024 has been far different than most of Ohtani’s career. Even though Shohei Ohtani has always been a media darling, this year has taken that attention to the next level. From Decoy to his wife Mamiko, Ohtani’s life has generated countless headlines. But then where there’s a yin, there’s a yang. In this instance, the yang was Ippei Mizuhara’s controversy. Could that be a cause for Ohtani’s Home-run drought?

Shohei Ohtani sees drought in a well-performing Dodgers squad

While this Los Angeles Dodgers squad is quite scary, it’s also seeing two polar opposite trajectories. On one hand, Mookie Betts is leading the league with 5 home runs and a .500 average! Then there’s Shohei Ohtani who is yet to hit a homer and is batting at just a .242 with an OBP of .297. This number is nothing short of disappointing for a $700 million player. But then, is it that surprising? 

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For instance, even before Ippei Mizuhara’s controversy erupted most experts knew Ohtani would be starting slower than usual this season. He’s coming off an elbow surgery and is slowly regaining his mechanics. While that is a struggle by itself there’s also the fact that Ohtani has shifted to the National League this season. He’s facing pitchers he only faced sporadically while in the LA Angels, so there’s an added layer of adjustment here.

Then comes the Ippei Mizuhara bombshell. Could it have affected Ohtani’s form this season? Perhaps it could’ve but then this Home-run drought isn’t just 8 games long. It’s actually 18 games long! The superstar hasn’t hit a homer since his final games in the Halos. But again, one can think that the weight of betrayal plus constant questions regarding Mizuhara could’ve mentally exhausted Ohtani.

So does it mean that this form will continue? It most certainly doesn’t. After all, there have been many positive signs even during these tough times for Shohei Ohtani.

Incredible bat speed and low strikeouts – Shotime is gaining momentum

According to the Los Angeles Times before the Tuesday game, Shohei Ohtani led the league with nine batted balls with over 100 mph exit velocity. Clearly, the superstar has gained back a lot of his power. The issue is his timing and that’s something that will come with time. But the fact that despite bat timing Shohei Ohtani has 8 hits and 3 RBIs shows the sheer level of his talent.

Then comes the fact that Ohtani has just 8 strikeouts in 33 At-bats. Obviously, he’s able to see and identify balls. That is a huge development as it signals that he’s quite close to his best. And now that the noise of Mizuhara has subsided a little, maybe Ohtani can focus more on baseball once again. Perhaps that’s exactly what the superstar needs right now.

Shohei Ohtani Remains Tight-Lipped About Ippei Mizuhara Scandal, Investigation Continues Amidst Growing Media Buzz