Who else? Shohei Ohtani slugs Dodgers to verge of division title

Columnist

Sept. 26, 2024 3 AM PT

A night earlier, he was stranded in the on-deck circle by an astounding triple play that pushed the Dodgers’ division title hopes to the brink.

On a raucous Wednesday night at Dodger Stadium, Shohei Ohtani finally stepped to the plate.

And promptly stomped all but the last bits of breath from the San Diego Padres.

Triple play, shriple play, memories of the incredible ending of a night earlier were smothered by the giant that is Ohtani, whose one dainty walk followed by two deafening hits carried the Dodgers to both a 4-3 victory over the Padres and the precipice of their 11th National League West championship in 12 years.

Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani shouts after hitting an RBI single in the sixth inning against the Padres.

The magic number is now two and completely obtainable in the final regular season game at Chavez Ravine on Thursday night.

If the Dodgers and starter Walker Buehler shoo away the pesky Padres one more time, the game will end with a dogpile on the mound and Champagne in the clubhouse. If the Padres and Joe Musgrove manage to survive, the Dodgers will have to wait for the almost-certain clinching to occur this weekend in Denver against the horrific Rockies.

Either way, Wednesday’s victory all but assured them of the impressive crown and important bye week.

And either way, one can bet that Ohtani will be in the middle of it all.

He’s a one-man rally. He’s a one-man blowout. He’s a one-man box score. Face it, in some ways lately, he’s been a one-man team.

He’s 17-for-his-last-24. He’s 15 RBIs in his last six games. He’s screaming line drives and roaring celebratory gestures. He’s hands pointed to the sky and fists waved through the night and a smile as big as his hacks.

“He’s the best player in baseball, you never think he’s going to get out,” said teammate Max Muncy, eyes still wide late Wednesday night. “Every time he gets in the box you’re waiting for something incredible to happen. He doesn’t disappoint very often.”

The only way to stop him, it seems, is to not allow him to get in that box, which is exactly what happened less than 24 hours earlier.

In the ninth inning Tuesday night, Ohtani was standing ominously in the on-deck circle seemingly poised to deliver a game-changing swing when the Padres stranded him there with a game-ending triple play to cement a 4-2 victory, pulling them to within two games of the Dodgers with four games remaining.

Stunned silence. Questions abounding. Criticism rippling. Panic everywhere.

Then, first thing Wednesday night, the leadoff hitting Ohtani stepped out of the on-deck circle and into the batters’ box and everything changed.

He apparently frightened the control right out of Padres starter Dylan Cease, who walked him on four pitches. Ohtani then took second on a wild pitch and eventually scored the Dodgers’ first run on Teoscar Hernández’s two-out single.

Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani high-fives in the dugout after scoring a first inning run against the Padres

Yeah, this Ohtani guy is so good, he can change the game even with the bat on his shoulder.

“Special,” said Dodgers pitcher Jack Flaherty. “Unbelievable.”

It got better. With two out in the fourth inning of a tied game, Ohtani lashed an RBI double into the right-field corner and, for the first of several moments this night, the stadium shook.

“You just want to get him up there with some guys on base, and you feel like you’re in a good spot,” said Flaherty, who was saved by Ohtani after allowing three runs in a bumpy five innings.

The savior wasn’t done. Two innings later, with the game tied again, Ohtani ripped a single to right field to score the go-ahead and eventual winning run.

As he stood at first base, he shouted to the dugout and wildly gestured with his giant arms. This was the visibly passionate Ohtani rarely seen. This was Ohtani on the verge of October.

“You see the emotion that you never see and you’ve seen that over the last week,” said manager Dave Roberts. “He’s sniffing the postseason and understanding how important these games are.”

Fans aren’t the only ones who get inspired. On the Dodger bench, his teammates are partying along with him.

“We’ve got a lot of guys in here with a lot of postseason experience, it’s not lost on us what it means, but when you have guys that haven’t been there and you see the emotion come out in them, it definitely fires you up,” Muncy said.

Afterward, Ohtani had calmed considerably, conducting his postgame news conference with a cap on backward and a relaxed grin.

I asked him if he’s ever felt this good at the plate before. What a dumb question. Of course he has.

“I think I’ve had the feel [before],” he said in Japanese. “But as the years have piled up, I think that my hitting technique has improved, as has my physicality. I think my ability has gradually taken shape.”

He was asked if he’s been energized by his first pennant race. He admitted the delightfully obvious — as the games have gotten bigger, his concentration has increased.

“There’s quite a bit of that,” he said. “I think the excitement of the fans and the spirit of the team are high. I think those are ingredients to heighten focus.”