Shohei Ohtani bounces back strong as Dodgers sweep the Twins

Dominance has always been the hallmark of Shohei Ohtani when he steps onto the major league mound. His outing today at Target Field in Minneapolis became the ultimate testament to his resilience.

Following his first genuine rough patch of the 2026 season, the Dodgers' two-way star required a fresh start, and he took the mound despite the widely discussed blister on his right middle finger and left knee inflammation. His response was straightforward and forceful: he simply turned up the volume—literally.

Against the Twins, Ohtani made his presence felt on both offense and defense, and the foundation of it all was his fastball, which averaged a career-high 100 miles per hour.

By the time he handed the ball to the bullpen, his stat line read: 6 innings pitched, 5 hits allowed, 3 runs (2 earned), 2 walks, 8 strikeouts, and 89 pitches thrown. His ERA inched up slightly to 1.58. The Dodgers won 4-3, giving Ohtani his eighth win of the season and completing a series sweep.

The toughest moment for Ohtani came in a chaotic bottom of the second inning. After Victor Caratini led off with a single, Ohtani gave up two more hits with one out, plus a passed ball that allowed the Twins to tie the game. Then Ryan Kreidler added a two-run single, putting the Dodgers in a 3-1 hole.

For most pitchers, that inning might have been a breaking point. But Ohtani flipped a switch and immediately changed gears. In the bottom of the third, he struck out the side—Byron Buxton, Kody Clemens, and Josh Bell all went down swinging. From there, he dominated, retiring 13 of the final 15 batters he faced, closing his night with four consecutive scoreless half-innings.

Ohtani's impact is never limited to the mound. He also serves as the Dodgers' leadoff hitter, and the man with the highest on-base percentage in the majors ignited his team's comeback from the batter's box. In the top of the third, facing Twins right-hander Joe Ryan, Ohtani laced an RBI single to center field, scoring Alex Freeland and cutting the deficit. That hit sparked a three-run rally in the inning, giving the Dodgers the lead back.

As a hitter, Ohtani finished the game 2-for-5 with one RBI and one run scored.