Shohei Ohtani's biggest issue is clear: Dodgers hitting coach has already revealed why he's struggling so much
Ohtani hasn't hit a home run since August 18 and doesn't have a base hit yet in the postseason.
During the Los Angeles Dodgers ' 2024 World Series run, Shohei Ohtani couldn't contribute on the mound, and he didn't exactly make a huge impact at the plate, hitting .230 with three home runs and 10 RBI in 16 games . His 2025 postseason campaign got off to a hot start, with two home runs in his first game , before he hit a brutal slump - he was hitting .158 through the first nine games .
Ohtani then figured things out, hitting six homers over his next four games , culminating in an epic performance in Game 3 of the World Series: 4-for-4, three runs, two home runs, three RBI, and five walks . It seemed like Ohtani's postseason hitting struggles were a blip on the radar. But this postseason, they've come back in a big way .
With the Dodgers in an 0-2 hole against the Milwaukee Brewers , Ohtani's lack of impact at the dish has been a major talking point. His current slash line of .150/.261/.150 in six games seems impossible for a player of his caliber. But the lack of power is clearly a trend, as he hasn't hit a home run since August 18 .
Shohei Ohtani is struggling mightily to hit high-velocity pitches
Many assume this is a result of knee and biceps injuries that have lingered and seem to be affecting his swing mechanics. That doesn't necessarily seem to the be the case, though, as Dodgers hitting coach Aaron Bates said before the postseason started that Ohtani is "kind of moving past [the physical part]" . Instead, Ohtani's biggest issue right now is still "timing" .
Now it’s just getting the timing against different speeds, when he wants to get his move off, that sort of thing -- kind of the usual stuff hitters go through as opposed to him navigating trying to achieve the physical components.
As Mike Petriello of MLB.com notes, Ohtani is particularly struggling with high-velocity pitches . Since his last home run on August 18, Ohtani is hitting a measly .036 against pitches over 95 miles per hour . That's simply not something anyone is used to when it comes to Ohtani.
