{"id":44135,"date":"2025-04-26T06:25:26","date_gmt":"2025-04-26T06:25:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/usatoday.azontree.com\/?p=44135"},"modified":"2025-04-26T06:25:26","modified_gmt":"2025-04-26T06:25:26","slug":"mookie-betts-has-2-word-response-to-shohei-ohtanis-struggles-for-dodgers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/usatoday.azontree.com\/?p=44135","title":{"rendered":"Mookie Betts Has 2-Word Response to Shohei Ohtani’s Struggles for Dodgers"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Apr 14, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers shortstop Mookie Betts (50) congratulates designated hitter Shohei Ohtani (17) after he hit a home run in the bottom of the third inning against the Colorado Rockies at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images \/ Kirby Lee-Imagn Images<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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The Los Angeles Dodgers have endured a rough stretch of offensive struggles, and Shohei Ohtani is no exception.<\/p>\n

Ohtani has recorded three hits in his last 21 at-bats. He\u2019s slashing .261\/.358\/.489 with a .848 OPS so far this season.<\/p>\n

Ohtani is one of three MVPs in the lineup, along with Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman, both of which are batting in the .250s. While Ohtani’s slump has been the most evident of the trio, his teammate remained confident that the reigning NL MVP would snap out of it in due time.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s human,\u201d Betts said after Wednesday’s game.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think we\u2019re all so accustomed to him never doing anything bad. Tomorrow, he can hit four homers,\u201d Betts added. \u201cHe\u2019s one of those people that may go through a stretch, but we\u2019ve all seen the other side of it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Following Wednesday’s 7-6 loss to the Chicago Cubs, manager Dave Roberts said Ohtani is perhaps being overly aggressive at the plate. Roberts specifically referenced Ohtani’s at-bat in the sixth inning, where the Dodgers had runners in scoring position with two down.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe had a fastball to hit and just got too big with the swing. Where all you need is a base hit right there,\u201d Roberts said. \u201cI think a little bit this series, and even that last game in Texas when he came back, there was a little over-aggressiveness. The swing is a little bit longer than it typically is.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t know if he\u2019s trying to do something, trying too hard. There\u2019s a couple walks in there. But there\u2019s other times where he\u2019s getting himself out instead of taking a walk if given to him.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ohtani is preparing to make his two-way debut as a Dodger, and just welcomed a baby girl with his wife, Mamiko. Like Betts said, Ohtani is still human and this opening month has simply been a rough patch for the Dodgers superstar.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Apr 14, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers shortstop Mookie Betts (50) congratulates designated hitter Shohei Ohtani (17) after he hit a home run in… <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":44136,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-44135","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-mlb"],"yoast_head":"\nMookie Betts Has 2-Word Response to Shohei Ohtani's Struggles for Dodgers - 24\/7 News America<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/usatoday.azontree.com\/?p=44135\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Mookie Betts Has 2-Word Response to Shohei Ohtani's Struggles for Dodgers - 24\/7 News America\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Apr 14, 2025; 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