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Welcome to September! We’re five months into Major League Baseball’s 2024 season and there is plenty of intrigue entering the homestretch.

Which of the current contenders will be headed to the playoffs? How will the division races play out? Who are the favorites to win the MVP and Cy Young awards? And will Aaron Judge and Shohei Ohtani make history to cap off their incredible 2024 performances?

To discuss what the final month of the regular season might bring, we asked a panel of 18 ESPN baseball experts some of the game’s biggest questions, covering September and beyond. We also asked a number of them to explain their answers — particularly those that went against the grain.

Below, you’ll find our picks for the postseason, major awards and more, including a few surprising answers and some bold predictions about what’s next.


The teams we’ll be talking about for the final month

Which team will finish with the best record in baseball?

Dodgers: 14
Phillies: 3
Brewers: 1

The Dodgers were the overwhelming pick. Why did you take them?

The Dodgers have a slight lead for the best record in baseball, due in large part to their unreal lineup. The good news for further growth is their lead isn’t so big that they’ll take their foot off the gas and the pitching staff will get better, possibly soon. Michael Kopech magically improved once acquired and is now the closer while Clayton Kershaw, Tyler Glasnow, and Yoshinobu Yamamoto could all return in the coming weeks. The worst performing members of the rotation are Walker Buehler and Bobby Miller, who could revert to frontline form at any point. — Kiley McDaniel

The Dodgers’ pitching might have flaws, but their midseason acquisitions of Jack Flaherty and Kopech have been pivotal. With Max Muncy healthy and Tommy Edman strengthening center field, this lineup is MLB’s deepest. This team’s chemistry, as well as the offense is peaking at the right time, and Shohei Ohtani’s historic 50 HR/50 SB season seems almost inevitable. — Xavier Scruggs

The other two NL division leaders were also selected. Let’s hear the case for Philadelphia and Milwaukee:

The Phillies’ record since the All-Star break is below .500 and they’re still just 1.5 games back from the best mark. Now that they’ve seemed to right the ship, and with a schedule featuring only one other playoff team the rest of the way, I’m expecting a strong final month in Philly. — Dan Mullen

The surprising Brewers have overcome obstacles (rotation, injuries) all season and still are right there with the win leaders. With their soft remaining schedule, weak division and emerging youngsters, watch them sneak into the top overall spot. — Eric Karabell


How many of the current 12 teams projected for the playoffs will be in the postseason field?

All 12: 14
11 of the current 12: 4 (Boston replacing Minnesota: 3; Boston replacing Kansas City: 1)

The Red Sox were the clear choice from our writers who thought someone would break into the field in the final month. Why do you think they’ll pass the Twins?

Boston’s strength of schedule in September might provide that last push it needs. The Red Sox play teams below .500 in half of their remaining series, while the Twins still have to play series against Cleveland and Kansas City — meaning the Red Sox have multiple opportunities to make up ground. Not to mention that Boston’s pitching — a reason the team had started to slip — might have found its rhythm once again. All I’m saying is, don’t count the Sox out just yet. — Liz Finny


Who will win the NL West?

Dodgers: 17
Padres: 1

You were the only one to pick a team other than the Dodgers to win the NL West. Why did you go with the Padres?

It’s become standard fare to predict the Dodgers to fail in the postseason, so let’s raise the stakes a bit and predict a late-season collapse that ends with the Padres overtaking them to win the NL West. Can San Diego make up six games over the final 26? The Padres are the best team in baseball since the All-Star break, they’re getting Fernando Tatis Jr. back, and they finish the season with six games against the Dodgers and Diamondbacks, the two teams ahead of them. — Tim Keown


Will Baltimore or New York win the AL East?

Yankees: 14
Orioles: 4

The Yankees were the pick by a vast majority of our experts. What do you think will put them over the top?

Jazz Chisholm is the player they didn’t know they needed for the past five years. — Doug Glanville

Why do you think Baltimore can pass New York?

Zach Eflin just came back. Grayson Rodriguez and Jordan Westburg shouldn’t be far behind. The Orioles are getting healthy at the right time, and between that and starting September with a series against the White Sox, things are looking up for the team with the most talent in the American League. — Jeff Passan


What about the AL Central?

Guardians: 12
Royals: 5
Twins: 1

Our voters seem to think Cleveland is starting to pull away here. Why did you go with the Guardians?

I would’ve chosen the Royals before they lost Vinnie Pasquantino for the rest of the regular season, placed Michael Lorenzen on the injured list, and tumbled into a five-game losing streak. Completing one of the greatest one-year turnarounds in history would’ve made for a great story, but that’s now unlikely. The Twins have the talent, but they can’t stay healthy. The Guardians’ lineup has lost some steam while the starting rotation remains a concern, but they’ve been in first place (alone or tied) since April 6. And they’ll stay there (alone) for the rest of the month. — Jorge Castillo

It hurts my heart a little to not pick the Royals, who I think will stick in the postseason bracket even after the unfortunate broken thumb suffered by Pasquantino. Their recent faceplant might have taken them out of the Central race, especially since Cleveland has the easiest schedule the rest of the way.

Kansas City still has a buffer when it comes to playing on into October but the slump means it can’t worry about position on the bracket so much as making sure they are somewhere on it at all. Over the past week, Cleveland has moved from worrying about the Royals to worrying about overtaking the Yankees for the top overall seed in the AL. — Bradford Doolittle


How many games will the White Sox lose?

126: 2
125: 2
124: 5
123: 3
122: 2
121: 3
119: 1

Only one of our voters predicted the White Sox falling short of the all-time record for losses. Why did you predict a 36-126 finish?

There’s a question being debated on sports talk radio in Chicago: Who will win more games in September, the Bears or the White Sox? The fact that it’s a legitimate debate is all you need to know about the latter team down the stretch. To wit: Their first 10 games of the month come against playoff contenders. Plus, they have a West Coast trip left. Losing 126 might be too kind. — Jesse Rogers


The players who will dominate the final month

The 2024 AL and NL MVPs will be …?

AL: Aaron Judge — 18
NL: Shohei Ohtani — 18

Judge and Ohtani were unanimous picks. Who has the best chance of passing either player for MVP?

Bobby Witt Jr. is on way to a 10-WAR season, leading the AL in batting average, runs and hits while closing in on 30 home runs, 30 steals and 100 RBIs. His defensive metrics are off the charts. In most seasons, he’s an easy pick for MVP. If Judge falters in September and the surprising Royals win the AL Central, Witt could swoop in. In the NL, Francisco Lindor has actually passed Ohtani in FanGraphs WAR. He’s also closing in on a 30/30 season and a possible Gold Glove. Defense matters and that gives Lindor a chance. — David Schoenfield


How many home runs will Aaron Judge finish with?

64: 1
63: 6
62: 1
61: 2
60: 6
59: 1

Almost all of our panel has Judge reaching at least 60 home runs, why do you think he’ll finish with 64 long balls?

Sixty-four homers out of the question, you say? I’m just extrapolating the numbers. Since Judge’s slow start, he hit 47 homers in a recent 105-game stretch, an unbelievable rate; he even hit seven homers in 9 games, so he can go off at any moment. The Yankees have 24 games remaining, and so not only will Judge get to his own record, but he’ll go beyond. — Buster Olney


Will Shohei Ohtani become the first member of the 50/50 club?

Yes: 16
No: 2

The vast majority of our voters say Ohtani will make history. Why do you believe he’ll get to 50 home runs and 50 stolen bases?

He’s going to get there because he’s fully capable, because he’s on pace to and because the Dodgers’ games will continue to matter down the stretch.

Perhaps just as important: He’s going to get there because it seems as if he really wants to. An understated element of Ohtani is how in tune he is with his mark on the sport. Given that he wouldn’t pitch, he saw this as the year when he could maximize his value on the bases. And he won’t let an opportunity for 50-50 slip past him. — Gonzalez


The 2024 Cy Youngs will go to …?

AL: Tarik Skubal — 18

NL: Chris Sale — 15
Zack Wheeler — 3

Skubal was unanimous in the AL and Sale was a runaway pick in the NL. Why did you go with Zack Wheeler?

Sale is -650 to win the NL Cy Young at ESPN BET, but should NOT be considered a runaway based on two factors: workload and trouble finishing seasons effectively. Sale’s 153⅔ innings are already more than he logged in 2021-23 combined (151) and soon to be more than any season since 2017. His career September/October splits are fairly loud — a 3.69 ERA and .739 OPS allowance are both career worsts by calendar month. Wheeler has no such history, making his +450 price at ESPN BET an especially good value. — Paul Hembekides


Who will win AL and NL Rookie of the Year?

AL: Colton Cowser — 15
Mason Miller — 2
Wilyer Abreu — 1

Our panel leaned heavily toward Cowser. Why do you think Miller can win AL honors?

In a wide-open award race, Miller’s elite skill set and historic whiff rates could catch voters’ eyes. It’s not like relievers haven’t won before when there wasn’t a clear, top-shelf choice (see: Devin Williams, 2020). Among rookies with 50-plus innings, his 43.4% K rate is second-best all time, .145 batting average allowed fifth-best and 1.71 FIP is ninth-best. He’ll also probably become the third rookie ever with 25-plus saves and 100-plus K’s. — Tristan Cockcroft

NL: Jackson Merrill — 13
Paul Skenes — 4
Jackson Chourio — 1

Merrill was the favorite, but you were one of four voters to choose Skenes. Why?

Jackson Merrill is a delightful player who heads into September with the narrative momentum to capture the award — and he’d be an absolutely worthy winner. Paul Skenes is just the best pitcher in baseball, and if he finishes the season with 140 innings of sub-2.25 ERA ball, he will have earned Rookie of the Year, even over a star like Merrill. — Passan


Bold predictions for the final month

Hembekides: Juan Soto will outproduce Aaron Judge in September and finish as AL MVP runner-up behind Judge and ahead of Bobby Witt Jr.

Schoenfield: Francisco Lindor will pass Shohei Ohtani in bWAR and becomes the first Mets position player to ever lead the National League.

Castillo: The Cubs and Mets will miss the playoffs by one game.

Rogers: The National League won’t have multiple .300 hitters

Passan: I’ll take that a step further. The winner of the National League batting crown will become the first batting champion in baseball history with a sub-.300 average. Currently, Marcell Ozuna, Trea Turner and Luis Arraez are the only NL players over .300, and so few hitters can string together any sort of batting-average consistency, it makes the possibility of Carl Yastrzemski losing his record-low .301 average for a batting champion that much more realistic.

Doolittle: Maybe not so bold, but Erick Fedde, who was traded at the deadline, will finish with a team-high seven wins for the team he left, the White Sox.

Matt Marrone: The Yankees will finally bite the bullet and DFA two-time batting champ DJ LeMahieu.

Scruggs: Marcell Ozuna will win the NL Triple Crown.

Karabell: Jacob deGrom makes his season debut on Sept. 12 at Seattle, and he throws six perfect innings. Jacob Latz, David Robertson and Kirby Yates finish off the first official shared perfect game.

Keown: The Tigers — yes, the Tigers — will parlay their strength of schedule (No. 27) into a late and unexpected run at the last AL wild-card spot. They’ll come up short, but there will be meaningful baseball in Detroit in the last week of September.

McDaniel: Chris Sale will win the ERA title (currently second to Skubal) and become the first pitcher since Corbin Burnes in 2021 to win what I call the FanGraphs pitching quadruple crown: lead qualified pitchers in ERA, xERA, FIP and xFIP.

Tim Kurkjian: The Astros will win the AL West handily and will enter October as the team to beat in the American League.

Olney: We won’t have any teams finish with 100 wins, but three teams — besides the White Sox, the Marlins and Rockies — will finish with 100 defeats.

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Ranking Elite 11 quarterbacks by system fit: Who could thrive at the next level

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Ranking Elite 11 quarterbacks by system fit: Who could thrive at the next level

The Elite 11 Finals annually spotlight the nation’s top high school quarterbacks, offering a firsthand look at how the next wave of signal-callers stacks up against elite competition.

With most participants already committed, it’s a valuable window into how these prospects will fit into their future college systems and translate to the next level. Here are the top 10 committed quarterbacks attending the event later this month ranked by system fit.

ESPN 300 ranking: 8

Tennessee’s scheme is plug-and-play friendly and fits Brandon’s big arm and sneaky mobility. There’s a clear trend emerging in Knoxville when it comes to quarterback traits in terms of stature, athleticism and arm strength. Brandon checks all three boxes. He’s very similar to former Vols standout Hendon Hooker and is further along developmentally than Hooker was at Brandon’s age. Though not quite as polished as Nico Iamaleava coming out of high school, Brandon throws a great deep ball, which Tennessee coach Josh Heupel requires from all his quarterbacks. By the time he arrives on campus, it’s likely at least one quarterback currently on the Tennessee roster will have hit the transfer portal.


ESPN 300 ranking: N/A — three-star

Duke offensive coordinator Jonathan Brewer is looking for a run-pass option quarterback with consistent accuracy and high-level production in the run game. Walker is that guy. He’s strikingly similar to Darian Mensah, the quarterback Duke brought in via the transfer portal, only Walker has a stronger arm. The Blue Devils want a dynamic runner at quarterback — something former QB Maalik Murphy wasn’t — and that’s what Walker is. A true playmaker, he also has a sky-high ceiling for development as a passer. Walker’s commitment is more evidence that the perception of Duke is shifting among top-tier recruits.


ESPN 300 ranking: 157

It’s easy to see why Arizona State’s coaching staff loves Fette considering he’s a mirror image of current quarterback Sam Leavitt. Fette is a sandlot-style riverboat gambler who thrives when the play breaks down. He looks like a pocket passer, but has the athleticism of a runner and can stress defenses with his legs. Coach Kenny Dillingham will use a lot of smoke and mirrors with shifts, motions, personnel groupings and backfield action to maximize Fette’s dynamic skill set and make him a threat both inside and outside the pocket.


ESPN 300 ranking: 6

Bell enters an ideal situation. The Longhorns don’t need to rush him, and instead can allow him to develop at his own pace. His fit is quite akin to Arch Manning‘s, and if Bell follows a similar blueprint he will get bigger, stronger and more mature over time. He already displays the tools of a high-level passer and adds value as a more capable runner than Quinn Ewers did in Steve Sarkisian’s system. Bell is a naturally gifted passer with a long track record of performance against elite competition, so he is ready to make the jump.


ESPN 300 ranking: N/A — three-star

Regardless of Carson Beck‘s production this fall, Coleman will be able to deliver the dynamism that Miami showcased with Cam Ward at the helm, which will make the Hurricanes much more difficult to defend. Coleman is the type of player Miami will prefer at quarterback in the long run. He has moxie, a gunslinger’s mentality and a live arm capable of making off-platform plays look routine. Remind you of anyone?


ESPN 300 ranking: 155

It’s easy to see shades of former Trojans quarterback Caleb Williams when watching Jonas Williams. He’s a naturally creative and improvisational quarterback. The play is never over, sometimes to a fault, but often to devastating effect. Williams can move the launch point and change arm angles, especially when asked to get the ball out quickly on screens and underneath throws. He thrives in chaos and can run the play-action offense Lincoln Riley loves to employ.


ESPN 300 ranking: 16

Henderson is another signal-caller with similarities to Darian Mensah, who played for current Houston coach Willie Fritz at Tulane. Landing Henderson was a huge win for Fritz. Henderson is a terrific athlete who can reach 20.6 mph max speed, an elite number for a quarterback. We’re intrigued to see whether he sticks at quarterback or moves to another position. For that reason, he’s more of a developmental player who needs to get more consistent in the passing game, but he has a high ceiling regardless of position.


ESPN 300 ranking: 198

At 6-foot-4 and 215 pounds, Huhn has the kind of stature coach James Franklin and offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki love. Though not as mobile as Drew Allar, Huhn is very athletic in the pocket. He can extend plays and shows strong anticipation off play-action. Huhn loves to play under center, which is a valuable trait in a Penn State offense that blends shotgun and traditional looks. With a scheme that frequently shifts the launch point through varied play-action concepts, Huhn’s footwork and functional mobility make him a natural fit.


ESPN 300 ranking: N/A — three-star

It’s still unclear exactly what North Carolina’s offense will look like under Bill Belichick, but recent quarterback additions offer a clue. The Tar Heels brought in dual-threat options in South Alabama transfer Gio Lopez and 2025 commit Bryce Baker. Neither is a traditional pocket passer, nor is Burgess. He’s a great get for North Carolina with his athleticism, live arm, quick release and developmental upside. He also won’t be thrust into action immediately. Once the staff understands his strengths, he’s the kind of player it can build a system around. Though not as tall, he’s reminiscent of NC State’s CJ Bailey.


ESPN 300 ranking: N/A — three-star

Cherry is the prototypical athletic pocket passer for Jeff Brohm’s system. He’s decisive, releases the ball quickly and anticipates plays well. Combine that with Brohm’s tried-and-true scheme, and it’s easy to see why Louisville is a destination for quarterbacks such as Cherry who are looking to up their game. He is similar to Cardinals transfer quarterback Miller Moss in both skill and style. Cherry thrives in quick-game concepts, excels in the intermediate passing attack and is highly effective off deep play-action. Louisville is attractive for Cherry because it always layers good skill players around its quarterback.

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Panthers-Oilers Game 6 preview: Can the Oilers force a Game 7?

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Panthers-Oilers Game 6 preview: Can the Oilers force a Game 7?

Will Tuesday night’s matchup between the Edmonton Oilers and Florida Panthers be the final game of the 2024-25 season? Or will there be one more on Friday?

The Panthers lead 3-2 in the 2025 Stanley Cup Final ahead of Game 6 (8 p.m. ET, TNT/Max). If they win, they skate the Cup on home ice. If the Oilers win, Game 7 is back in Edmonton.

Here are notes on the matchup from ESPN Research, as well as betting intel from ESPN BET:

More from Game 5: Recap | Grades

Matchup notes

Florida Panthers at Edmonton Oilers
Game 6 | 8 p.m. ET | TNT/Max

With a 3-2 lead ahead of Game 6 on home ice, the Panthers are now -400 favorites to win the Cup and the Oilers are +300; those numbers are adjusted from prior to Game 5, when both clubs were -110. As for the Conn Smythe Trophy, Sam Bennett remains the leader, but his odds have shifted from +150 to -190. Brad Marchand (+300), Connor McDavid (+700) and Leon Draisaitl (+700) round out the top four.

The Panthers are seeking to become the first team to repeat as Stanley Cup champions by beating the same team since the Montreal Canadiens did so against the Boston Bruins in 1977 and 1978 — for the Habs, those were titles No. 2 and 3 of four straight earned between 1976 and 1979. A Panthers win would be the fourth Stanley Cup for a team based in the state of Florida this decade (the Tampa Bay Lightning won in 2020 and 2021).

The Oilers are facing elimination for the first time in the 2025 playoffs. Last year, they were 5-1 when facing elimination — including three wins in the 2024 Stanley Cup Final after falling behind 3-0. Road teams facing elimination in Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Final have gone 6-6 in the past 12 occurrences.

Marchand is having a superb Stanley Cup Final, scoring six goals thus far. That marks the most goals in a Cup Final since Esa Tikkanen (1988, also six). Marchand is the first player to score five or more goals with multiple teams in a Cup Final, and his five road goals in this series are the most in a single Cup Final since Jack Adams had six for the Vancouver Millionaires in 1922. With multiple multigoal games in the Cup Final, Marchand joins Jeff Friesen (New Jersey Devils, 2003) and Max Talbot (2009, Pittsburgh Penguins) as the only players to pull off that feat in the past 30 years.

Teammate Sam Bennett is also entering historic territory. With a goal in Edmonton in Game 5, he became the fifth player in NHL history with a streak of six straight road games with a goal. He is also the fourth active NHL player to score 15 goals in a single postseason, joining Zach Hyman (16, 2024), Alex Ovechkin (15, 2018) and Sidney Crosby (15, 2009).

Panthers goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky tied the NHL record for most road wins in a single postseason (10). The other five goalies tied atop the list are: Jordan Binnington (St. Louis Blues, 2019), Braden Holtby (Washington Capitals, 2018), Jonathan Quick (Los Angeles Kings, 2012), Miikka Kiprusoff (Calgary Flames, 2004), Martin Brodeur (Devils, 2000 and 1995).

With three goals in this series, Edmonton’s Corey Perry tied Mark Recchi (Bruins, 2011) and Igor Larionov (Detroit Red Wings, 2002) for the most goals by a player age 40 or older in a single Cup Final.

McDavid scored a point in every home game he played since the 4 Nations Face-Off break — a run of 17 straight games, with 36 points in that span. He reached 150 playoff points in 95 games, the third-fastest player in NHL history to reach that benchmark, behind Wayne Gretzky (68 games played) and Mario Lemieux (86).

With one more game-winning goal this series, Draisaitl would become just the third player in the NHL’s modern era (since 1943-44) — and first since 1977 — to have three game winners in a single Stanley Cup Final. The previous players to do so are Jacques Lemaire (1977) and Jean Beliveau (1965 and 1960), both of whom accomplished the feat for the Canadiens.

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Oilers coach: We’ve overcome difficult situations before

Kris Knoblauch keeps faith in his Oilers as he reflects on losing Game 5 in Edmonton.


Scoring leaders

GP: 22 | G: 15 | A: 7

GP: 21 | G: 11 | A: 22


Best bets for Game 6

Evander Kane over 4.5 total hits (+107): The Oilers need to be more physical if they hope to have a legitimate shot at pushing this series to a Game 7. Saturday’s team total of 25 hits, including only a pair from Kane, isn’t going to cut it. An aggressive difference-maker when he’s at his best at nearing, but not crossing, the line as he has too often this series, the winger will be one to watch from the get-go Tuesday. Notably, he registered 17 total hits through both overtime games to open this series in Edmonton. Win or lose, Kane is going to serve as a factor. Hopefully for the Oilers, not by earning himself time in the penalty box.

Stuart Skinner under 25.5 total saves (-120): If Skinner — presuming coach Kris Knoblauch goes with his No. 1 netminder to start Game 6 — struggles, or the rest of the Oilers fail to perform well enough out front, he won’t last long enough in the crease to make 26 saves before all is said and done. The leash will be short in this must-win contest. Or perhaps Edmonton’s team defense rises to the occasion and prevents more scoring chances in support of their starting goaltender, as it did in earlier rounds versus Dallas and Vegas.

Connor McDavid first period anytime goal-scorer (+600): After Leon Draisaitl scored the opener in Game 1, the Panthers are perfect in four straight games at catching the back of the net first, outscoring Edmonton 11-4 altogether in the initial period. The Oilers understand reversing that trend would go a long way in helping them survive, particularly by forcing Florida to sway from their stifling defensive play. Who better to look to than McDavid, who finally found the back of the net this series in Saturday’s losing effort? The sport’s best player needs to shoot more, and he knows it. He’ll be revved right up to make a statement, early. — Victoria Matiash

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Ohtani allows 1 run, 2 hits in 28-pitch inning

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Ohtani allows 1 run, 2 hits in 28-pitch inning

LOS ANGELES — Shohei Ohtani jogged off the pitcher’s mound and leaned against the dugout railing while strapping on his elbow guard and batting gloves. He was thrown a towel to wipe the sweat off his face, then walked to the batter’s box to face San Diego Padres ace Dylan Cease without taking any practice swings.

With that, Ohtani began his quest to once again do what many in the sport consider impossible.

Ohtani made his pitching debut from Dodger Stadium on Monday, giving up a run in his lone inning of work, then struck out in his first plate appearance as the Los Angeles Dodgers’ designated hitter, marking the first time he has pitched and hit in a game since Aug. 23, 2023. He would eventually finish 2-4 with two RBIs in his club’s 6-3 victory.

Ohtani is close to 21 months removed from a second repair of his right ulnar collateral ligament but faced hitters only three times before essentially rejoining the Dodgers’ rotation, his last session, from Petco Park in San Diego last Tuesday, spanning three simulated innings and 44 pitches.

Ohtani communicated to the Dodgers that facing hitters hours before games, then cooling off and having to ramp back up to DH later that night, was more taxing on his body than doing both simultaneously, prompting him to return to pitching sooner than expected. These initial starts will basically function as the continuation of Ohtani’s pitching rehab. On Monday, he was basically utilized as an opener.

Ohtani reached 99.9 mph and 100.2 mph with his fastball but also uncorked a wild pitch while utilizing 28 pitches to record the first three outs. Fernando Tatis Jr. led off with a bloop single and Luis Arraez followed with a line-drive single. Ohtani should have recorded a strikeout of Manny Machado, who went around on a two-strike swing. But first-base umpire Ryan Blakney ruled otherwise, bringing the count to 2-2 and later prompting a sacrifice fly to score the game’s first run.

Ohtani followed by inducing groundouts to Gavin Sheets and Xander Bogaerts, and with that, his pitching debut was over.

The Dodgers hope it’s the first of many starts.

Ohtani, 30, functioned as a transformative two-way player from 2021 to 2023, winning two unanimous MVPs and also finishing as the runner-up to Aaron Judge. On offense, Ohtani slashed .277/.379/.585 with 124 home runs and 57 stolen bases. On the mound, he posted a 2.84 ERA with 542 strikeouts and 143 walks in 428⅓ innings.

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