Shohei Ohtani Makes Candid Admission After Dodgers Drop to Second Place

Newsweek

21 hours ago

Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources.
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Few could have foreseen this type of late-season swoon from the Los Angeles Dodgers.
After holding a nine-game lead in the National League West entering play on July 4, the Dodgers went into a tailspin. Entering Friday's series against the now-first-place San Diego Padres, Los Angeles was 12-21 in its last 33 games.
Wednesday night was a new low, as the Dodgers were swept in their six-game season series against the Los Angeles Angels, typically their punching bag during interleague rivalry play.
ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA - AUGUST 13: Shohei Ohtani #17 of the Los Angeles Dodgers reacts after striking out Mike Trout #27 of the Los Angeles Angels to end the first inning at Angel Stadium of Anaheim...
ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA - AUGUST 13: Shohei Ohtani #17 of the Los Angeles Dodgers reacts after striking out Mike Trout #27 of the Los Angeles Angels to end the first inning at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on August 13, 2025 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by)Dodgers two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani took the mound against his old team on Wednesday night, and he managed to strike out fellow Most Valuable Player Mike Trout twice, building on his high-profile championship-clinching moment at the 2023 World Baseball Classic.
But Ohtani would have traded it all for a win, and with his team a game back of the Padres, who swept their series with the San Francisco Giants, he was fairly candid about how he felt after the game.
"Obviously, it doesn't feel good to fall into second place and to lose a lot of these games," Ohtani said through interpreter Will Ireton (via Sonja Chen of MLB.com). "We're doing everything in our power, having close meetings, doing everything that we can to try to right the ship. We just have to do a better job."
Six of the Dodgers' next 10 games are against the Padres, and they've already taken five of seven in the season series with San Diego. They're in good position on paper, but the two teams have been headed in such opposite directions that it may be hard to stop momentum.
As long as the Dodgers have Ohtani on their side, they have to like their odds of emerging victorious from this battle. But it's surprising to even see it become a battle when it appeared Los Angeles would run away with the title.
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