Is Shohei Ohtani really struggling? The Los Angeles Dodgers' two-way superstar has set the bar so impossibly high that even a .240 batting average with seven home runs through 185 plate appearances this season feels like a slump. But don’t hit the panic button just yet—former Cincinnati Reds legend Joey Votto isn’t worried, and he’s got some sharp insights on why a breakout is coming.
On paper, Ohtani’s numbers at the plate might look a bit off compared to his MVP-caliber standards. But Votto, now an MLB analyst, broke it down on MLB Network’s "MLB Now" with a calm confidence. "He does have that on-base percentage going," Votto noted. "He is one game away from all of a sudden passing the .500, .550 slugging percentage and entering into .950, 1.000 OPS territory. And then what is there to worry about with him? If he wasn’t walking … I would be more concerned."
Votto, a master of the strike zone himself, dug deeper into Ohtani’s mechanics. "There’s something going on in my opinion, watching his at-bats. I see something and I know for a fact he’s light-years ahead of everybody that’s commented on what he’s doing at the plate," Votto said. "To me, it’s as simple as the up-and-away pitch, the middle-up pitch and the away pitch. Those are the pitches that you want … and you have to be able to back the ball up in your swing. … That is a strength of his when he’s at his very best. … He’s ever-so-slightly off."
Votto’s diagnosis? A minor fix. "There’s absolutely nothing going on other than a slight targeting issue. It’s gonna be fun. I think we’re about to watch a guy who has ... one of the all-time great seasons. It’s gonna be a blast to watch from May 15 to the end of the year."
And let’s not forget Ohtani’s dominance on the mound—he’s the frontrunner for the National League Cy Young award with a blistering 0.82 ERA through seven starts. For fans and gear enthusiasts alike, this is a reminder that even the best need a little adjustment period. So, keep your Dodgers gear ready—Ohtani’s hot streak might be just around the corner.