Shohei Ohtani's streak of reaching base in 53 consecutive games ends; he calmly faces it: "Starting today, I can begin anew."

Los Angeles Dodgers' Japanese star Shohei Ohtani played as a two-way player in today's away game against the San Francisco Giants. While pitching six scoreless innings with quality performance, he failed to record a hit or any opportunity to reach base at the plate, ending his cross-season streak of reaching base in 53 consecutive games. Regarding the conclusion of the streak, Ohtani calmly stated: "Starting today, I can begin anew."

In this game, Ohtani served as the starting pitcher and leadoff hitter, making his fourth start of the season. He pitched six innings using 91 pitches, allowed five hits with no runs, struck out seven batters, lowering his ERA to 0.38, and his fastest pitch reached 100.6 mph.

Discussing his pitching strategy, Ohtani said: "Disrupting the hitter's rhythm within my desired tempo is also a skill, so I want to mix various pitches."

During the game, Ohtani fired fastballs consistently, throwing seven pitches exceeding 100 mph overall, demonstrating strong dominance. Regarding his fastball condition in this game, he remarked: "It wasn't good last game, but today it was good; I could throw to the desired spots. However, I must also understand the reasons scientifically, including the issues from the previous game, and then review what went well in this one."

Regarding the streak of reaching base stopping at 53 games, Ohtani expressed he didn't overly focus on it: "Of course, as the leadoff hitter, reaching base is important, but if the feeling at the plate is good, the numbers will naturally continue. However, the feeling at the plate hasn't fully returned yet."

Speaking about becoming the Asian player with the longest consecutive on-base streak, he said: "It's an honor. I hope starting today I can begin anew. If it can continue, it would be good for the entire season. The season isn't over yet, so I need to reset my mindset daily; if we lose today, accept the loss, and just strive tomorrow."

Regarding the arrangement for two-way play, Ohtani responded: "That's decided by the coaches. I just need to be prepared. In a long season, having someone else serve as designated hitter is also a tactic; it's not necessary to hit every time I pitch. What's best for the team isn't something I should decide. I'll always be ready; if asked to focus solely on pitching, I'll focus on pitching."