'Three-time unanimous MVP' Ohtani finds this difficult too! Challenging for the Cy Young Award for the first time in MLB history — why is it not easy even with an ERA of 0.38?

*This content was translated by AI.

Shohei Ohtani (32, LA Dodgers) is off to a smooth start toward his first-ever Cy Young Award.

On the 23rd (Korean time), Ohtani made his season debut as the starting pitcher in a road game against the San Francisco Giants at Oracle Park in California, USA, during the 2026 Major League Baseball (MLB) regular season. He pitched six innings, allowing five hits, no walks, and recording seven strikeouts in a scoreless outing, successfully achieving a quality start (six or more innings pitched with three or fewer earned runs allowed).

As a result, Ohtani's regular-season pitching statistics now stand at four games, two wins, no losses, an ERA of 0.38, 24 innings pitched, seven walks and hit batters (six walks, one hit batter), 25 strikeouts, a batting average against of 0.141, and a WHIP (walks plus hits per inning pitched) of 0.75.

The offense was held to just four hits, so the win could not be secured. Ohtani himself, batting leadoff, went hitless in four at-bats with one strikeout, remaining silent. Naturally, his consecutive on-base streak as a hitter, which had continued since August 24 last year against the San Diego Padres, ended at 53 games.

However, it was more than enough to showcase the presence of pitcher Ohtani. On this day, Ohtani threw a total of 91 pitches: 47 four-seam fastballs, 28 sweepers, nine splitters, four curveballs, and three sinkers. His fastball reached a maximum speed of 100.6 mph (approximately 161.9 km/h), with an average of 98.8 mph (approximately 159 km/h), and the sweeper generated the most swings and misses.

Ohtani induced a total of 18 swings and misses from San Francisco batters. The sweeper accounted for the most with nine, and the splitter also produced one. His peak velocity stood out. Ohtani allowed two hits in the top of the first inning, putting himself in a crisis with one out and runners on first and second. However, he struck out Casey Schmidt on three pitches to end the inning.

He then continued a streak of 11 consecutive batters retired through the bottom of the fifth inning with one out. Among them were a Hanbok-style swing-and-miss strikeout by Lee Jung-hoo and a pitcher's ground ball. Ohtani found himself in a difficult 2-ball, 0-strike count against Lee Jung-hoo, who led off the top of the second inning. However, he quickly recorded two strikes and threw a 100 mph (approximately 160.9 km/h) fastball to induce a swing-and-miss strikeout. In the final crisis of the bottom of the sixth with two outs and runners on second and third, Ohtani struck out Schmidt with three consecutive sweepers.

With this game, Ohtani rose to first place in the National League in ERA. Including the American League, he was in second place, trailing former Los Angeles Angels teammate Jose Soriano. Soriano has shown an even stronger Cy Young pace with six games, five wins, no losses, an ERA of 0.24, 37⅔ innings pitched, 13 walks, and 43 strikeouts.

Ohtani made his return as a pitcher at the end of last year following his second elbow surgery in October 2023. After the surgery, he hinted that this might be his final pitching attempt and approached his return with caution. Even during rehabilitation, he consistently appeared as a designated hitter, leading the Dodgers to back-to-back World Series championships. Personally, he has essentially achieved everything a hitter can achieve, winning the unanimous MVP and Silver Slugger awards twice.

This year is an important season as he once again challenges full-time two-way play after a two-year hiatus. Ohtani continues to start as a designated hitter every day but is adjusting his pace by pitching only once a week.

After the game, the Japanese media outlet Kokoro KARA reported, "Pitcher Ohtani once again displayed amazing dominance. He reached the required innings and also rose to first place in ERA." Another Japanese media outlet, Chunichi Sports, expressed hope, saying, "Today's game made us feel the possibility of Ohtani still not having received the Cy Young Award."

If Ohtani were to win the Cy Young Award as well, it would mark the first time in MLB history for a two-way player. However, the Cy Young Award is not as easy to win as the MVP. Unlike the MVP, which combines performance as both a pitcher and a hitter to some extent, the Cy Young Award evaluates only pitching performance. As a result, appearing once a week is actually a disadvantage in the cumulative records that serve as important indicators for winning the award.

At the current moment, as of the conclusion of the game on the 23rd, Ohtani is far behind competitors in the National League rankings, placing outside the top 30 in innings and 26th in strikeouts. In the strikeout category, which plays a significant role in Cy Young Award voting, he is already 17 strikeouts behind first-place Jacob Misiorowski of the Milwaukee Brewers, who has 42.

Facing the disadvantage of cumulative totals due to fewer appearances, he must maintain a low ERA by recording as many strikeouts as possible each time he takes the mound. Can Ohtani, with only one remaining goal, realize his dream of winning the Cy Young Award?

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*This content was translated by AI.