'QS Failure' Pushes Ohtani Further from Cy Young? ERA Rises from 1.06 to 1.47 Despite 7 Wins! LAD Completes Sweep of TB in Three-Game Series

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The Los Angeles Dodgers defeated the Tampa Bay Rays to complete a series sweep. Shohei Ohtani (32), who started on the mound, showed his fighting spirit despite the setback of a finger injury, laying the foundation for his team's victory. However, he unfortunately failed to record a quality start (six or more innings pitched with three or fewer earned runs allowed), causing his ERA to rise. This development casts a shadow over his bid for the Cy Young Award.

On the 18th (Korea time), the Dodgers secured a thrilling comeback victory with a 5-4 score against Tampa Bay in a home game at the UCLA Field at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, California. With this win, the Dodgers completed a three-game sweep of the home series, while the Rays fell into a three-game losing streak.

The main focus of the day was Ohtani's start as a pitcher. Ohtani took the mound solely as a starting pitcher without playing as a designated hitter, recording six innings with seven hits allowed, two walks, five strikeouts, and four runs allowed. It was a somewhat disappointing performance. He threw 91 pitches. Following his previous appearance on the 11th against the Pittsburgh Pirates (6⅔ innings, four runs allowed, three earned runs), he struggled in two consecutive games, setting a personal season high for earned runs in a single game. As a result, Ohtani's season ERA rose from 1.06 to 1.47.

There was also a sudden setback during the game. Even as a blister on his right middle finger burst and bled, Ohtani wiped the blood from his uniform pants and stubbornly held the line in the bottom of the sixth inning, retiring the side in order. Earlier, he had been removed from the starting lineup due to knee discomfort but made a surprise appearance as a pinch-hitter for Miguel Rojas in the bottom of the sixth with two outs and no runners on base, only to be retired on a shortstop grounder. Ohtani's season batting average also dipped slightly from 0.297 to 0.296.

In the bottom of the fourth inning, the Dodgers took an early 2-0 lead with consecutive RBI hits from Alex Colome and Alex Freeland. However, in the top of the fifth, after Ohtani drew a walk and hit a double to put himself in a bases-loaded, no-out situation, the Rays quickly scored four runs on an RBI hit by Yandy Diaz, a fielder's choice, and an RBI hit by Richie Palacios, taking a 4-2 lead.

However, the Dodgers tied the game in the bottom of the fifth with a bases-loaded walk from Kyle Tucker, then took the lead in the bottom of the sixth. With a runner on second base and one out created by Andy Paredes' double, Freddie Freeman hit a two-run home run to center field, completing the comeback with a 5-4 score.

Tampa Bay's left-handed starting pitcher Shane McClanahan, who faced Ohtani, was pulled early after pitching 3⅔ innings, allowing three hits, striking out three, walking five, and giving up two runs. In the lineup, 'table-setter' Yandy Diaz and Jonathan Aranda each contributed two hits, but they were unable to break through the Dodgers' bullpen in the later innings.

When Ohtani entered as a pinch-hitter, the designated hitter spot was eliminated, prompting the Dodgers to bring in pitcher Edgardo Henriquez in the top of the seventh to activate their bullpen. The Dodgers' bullpen, featuring Jack Dreyer and Alex Vesia, held on to the one-run lead until the end to secure the victory.

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*This content was translated by AI.