Shohei Ohtani reminded everyone why he's a two-way superstar, even when he's only doing one job. Taking the mound without a bat in his hands for the first time since 2021, Ohtani delivered a masterclass, striking out 10 over six innings of one-run ball to lead the Los Angeles Dodgers to an 8-2 victory over the New York Mets on Wednesday night. The win completed a series sweep and sent the reeling Mets to their seventh consecutive loss.

With Ohtani held out of the lineup as a hitter due to shoulder soreness, the Dodgers' offense didn't miss a beat. The power surge came late, highlighted by a dramatic eighth-inning grand slam from Dalton Rushing—the first of his career—off Mets closer Devin Williams. Kyle Tucker added an exclamation point with a solo homer, his first at Dodger Stadium, to cap the scoring.

Ohtani was in complete control, setting a new season-high for strikeouts by a Dodgers pitcher. He showcased his elite velocity, famously blowing a 99 mph fastball past Francisco Lindor to end the third inning in a memorable duel between All-Stars. His 22 swings-and-misses were the most he's generated since joining Los Angeles, a testament to his dominant stuff.

The Dodgers' early lead came from Hyeseong Kim's two-run homer in the second inning, with Teoscar Hernández adding a solo shot in the sixth. The win improves the Dodgers to a scorching 14-4 and a perfect 9-0 against National League opponents this season, having now swept the Mets, Diamondbacks, and Nationals.

For the Mets, the struggles continue. Playing without the injured Juan Soto, the lineup managed just five hits and was thoroughly outplayed, being outscored 14-4 in the series. MJ Melendez provided a brief spark with two doubles off Ohtani, but it was far from enough to stop the Dodgers' juggernaut or their own skid.