It started with a bang. Ended with a shrug. And somewhere in between, Shohei Ohtani did something only Shohei Ohtani can do.
On a warm Monday night under the lights at Dodger Stadium, Ohtani stepped into the batter’s box in the bottom of the first inning and launched a two-run homer to straightaway center.
The crowd roared before the ball even landed. It was his team-leading 35th home run of the season—and the first time he’s gone deep in his first at-bat of a game he’s also started on the mound since returning to pitching duties in early June.
But just minutes earlier, he also allowed his first home run since returning to the mound.
Minnesota Twins All-Star Byron Buxton greeted Ohtani with a 410-foot shot to left center for his sixth leadoff homer of the season.
Baseball, man. It’s poetry in motion and irony in real time.
There was symbolism packed into every frame of the evening. Two All-Stars. Two home runs. One battle that ended in a draw.
Shohei Ohtani gave up a leadoff homer in the top of the first …
He gave himself the lead with his 35th homer in the bottom half of the inning 🤯 pic.twitter.com/fH4rf6nhp4
— MLB (@MLB) July 22, 2025
Ohtani’s start was his sixth as a pitcher this year for the Los Angeles Dodgers, and while not as crisp as his prior outings, it was serviceable. He threw three innings—matching his season-long—scattering four hits, issuing one walk, and striking out three on 46 total pitches.
The efficiency that had become his calling card this past month wasn’t quite there. Still, he bent but didn’t break, and left the game with the lead, something the Dodgers desperately needed to hang onto as they’ve lost 10 of their last 12 games, including six straight at Dodger Stadium following back-to-back sweeps.
Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Shohei Ohtani reacts after a base hit by Minnesota Twins’ Ryan Jeffers during the third inning of a baseball game in Los Angeles, Monday, July 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Jayne Kamin-Oncea)
That responsibility fell on Dustin May, who followed—marking the first time all season the flame-throwing right-hander emerged out of the bullpen in relief.
May, arguably the Dodgers most consistent starting pitcher this season, has seen inconsistent results as of late, and has experience in his career coming out of the bullpen.
The Dodgers have been cautious with Ohtani’s ramp-up following his second Tommy John surgery. But Monday night was a glimpse of what the future might hold—Ohtani providing three solid innings and some thunder with the bat, followed by a wave of arms behind him.
The Dodgers know they’ll need him to keep building—stretching his outings from three innings to four, then five, then maybe more. If this team is going to make a deep postseason run, Ohtani’s arm could be the wild card. His bat? That’s already certified gold.
But nights like these? They remind us why we keep showing up to watch baseball’s unicorn.