Dodgers aim to strengthen their record in Shohei Ohtani starts

Shohei Ohtani of the Los Angeles Dodgers looks on prior to the game between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Pittsburgh Pirates

What to make of a starting pitcher with more wins than earned runs allowed in June? A day following seeing Eric Lauer masterfully navigate a lineup incredibly susceptible to left-handed pitching, Shohei Ohtani makes his 11th start of what’s currently a season defined by his otherworldly pitching accomplishments, with six wins and five earned runs allowed in 61 innings.

While the Pirates lineup carries stark splits, featuring a 112 wRC+ against right-handers that goes down to 88 against southpaws, Ohtani’s dominance knows no limits, going through opposing lineups like a hot knife through butter. After shockingly—in large part thanks to the offense’s shortcomings—losing back-to-back games between the end of April and the beginning of May, Ohtani puts to the test a streak of four wins, allowing all of one run in this period.

Despite this winning streak, one could argue for the similarities between Ohtani and Paul Skenes as starters let down by their offenses when you consider the respective qualities of these teams. Following last night’s Dodgers win, the Pirates are now 6-8 when Skenes takes the mound, absurd numbers for a team that has improved to hover around .500 in what’s an insanely competitive NL Central. For Ohtani, those four straight wins have carried the Dodgers into a solid but unspectacular 6-4 record in Ohtani starts. There is nothing wrong with a .600 record, far from it, but to contemplate that the reigning champs have had this many losses in Ohtani starts when he’s been untouchable is still a bit of a surprise.

• Teams: Dodgers at Pirates
• Ballpark: PNC Park, Pittsburgh

• Start time: 6:40 p.m. PT

• TV: SportsNet LA

• Radio: AM 570 (English), KTNQ 1020 AM (Spanish)

Radio: AM 570 (English), KTNQ 1020 AM (Spanish)