Shohei Ohtani played a crucial role in the Los Angeles Dodgers 4-2 victory over the Minnesota Twins on Monday night, hitting two doubles and a home run, his third in just five games, to tie his career record of three extra-base hits in a single game.
James Outman’s seventh-inning home run sealed the win for the Dodgers, with contributions from Freddie Freeman and Will Smith, while Evan Phillips secured his fourth save. The game saw another solid performance from Dodgers newcomer James Paxton (2-0), who admired Ohtani’s impact on the game.
Paxton praised Ohtani’s incredible power at the plate, emphasizing the difficulty of facing him as an opponent but expressing gratitude for having him as a teammate. Ohtani’s double in the sixth inning helped set up a crucial run for the Dodgers, showcasing his versatility and ability to make an impact in key moments.
Despite a relatively quiet start to his Dodgers career, Ohtani’s performance in this game demonstrated his value to the team. He also revealed that he’s been using a cricket-style bat for mechanical work before and during games, adding an interesting insight into his approach to training.
