The Dodgers kicked off their NLDS run in style, taking down the Phillies 5–3. If you have checked the game, it was packed with classic Dodger moments. Starting from Teoscar Hernandez’s three-run bomb to Roki Sasaki’s much-anticipated fastballs from the mound, the night had it all. But, as usual, Shohei Ohtani stole the spotlight.

Well, pitching in a stadium notorious for giving visiting teams a hard time, Ohtani silenced the Phillies’ bats, striking out nine and giving up just three runs over six innings to earn the win in his first-ever postseason start as a pitcher. Still, at the plate, he didn’t quite look like himself. Slump or just too much on his plate? Ohtani had something to say about that himself.

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The starting and bullpen, and the fact that when I’m leading off, it does allow the bullpen to come out. That really gives tail hitting behind me the opportunity to be able to hit. So in that sense, I felt like even though the results were good, I was able to contribute. That sense we go all the way. The reason why I’m a two-way player is because that’s who I am, and it’s what I can do, and also, at the same time, it’s what the team wants. So that’s the reason why I’ve been doing this,” Ohtani shared that he will not back down from being a two-way player despite sacrificing a little bit of offense.

Well, the night witnessed Ohtani suited up as the Dodgers’ DH but couldn’t get anything going at the plate. He went 0-for-4 without a run or a hit. But on the mound, though, he was a completely different story. He notably retired 15 of the last 17 batters he faced and absolutely shut down Philly’s big names. Trea Turner, Kyle Schwarber, and Bryce Harper all faced Ohtani’s fireballs for a combined 0-for-9 with five SOs.

Hence, even with his bat cooling off, Ohtani powered through 89 pitches in a strong, deep outing.

At the plate this postseason, he’s hitting just .231 with two HRs in three games, so yeah, the slump is real. But for Ohtani, this moment was bigger than stats. This is exactly what the Dodgers envisioned when they signed him. A two-way superstar leading their playoff push, and for him, that’s more about proving who he is than chasing any record.

Shohei Ohtani is heating the MVP race

Yes, we have Aaron Judge, Cal Raleigh, and Kyle Schwarber in the MVP race, but Ohtani’s value addition might do the trick again.

Well, Shohei Ohtani’s case really speaks for itself… He’s one of the best hitters in the NL and has still managed to toss over 40 innings on the mound. And hitting more than 50 homers while pitching at an elite level? That’s practically unheard of. However, the only real evidence against him is the limited innings, which makes sense since he’s coming off Tommy John surgery.

Even so, Ohtani is one of a kind. He’s slashed .282/.392/.622 with 55 homers, 102 RBIs, putting up a massive 7.7 WAR this season, including 1.1 as a pitcher. So, even if he’d logged around 140 innings instead of 40, the MVP race wouldn’t even be a debate.

Now, Raleigh’s got his own historic numbers. He’s leading the league with 60 home runs in 159 games played. But even with that, no one else in the MVP race can touch Ohtani’s two-way impact. With the way Ohtani is heating up in the postseason, his MVP case just keeps getting stronger.