Ohtani's power numbers hide a troubling second-half decline for Dodgers

Shohei Ohtani's numbers at the plate have fallen well below the standard he set over the past two seasons, and the Dodgers are only now beginning to address what appears to be an unresolved physical issue, according to Yahoo Sports.

Ohtani was sidelined from pitching duties from the start of July after suffering a left knee injury on July 3. Manager Dave Roberts then revealed on July 29 that Ohtani was also managing a right bicep problem. He has not taken the mound in the second half of the season.

Since that point, Ohtani's slash line has read .250/.333/.476, with nine doubles, two triples, eight home runs, 22 RBI, five stolen bases from six attempts, 19 walks and 49 strikeouts, per Yahoo Sports.

Those figures would represent a solid campaign for a player without Ohtani's ceiling, but they mark a clear drop from the two-way superstar's output over the previous two seasons, excluding the shoulder injury he sustained in the 2024 World Series.

The concern crystallised on September 2, when Ohtani endured what Yahoo Sports described as one of the more physically uncomfortable at-bats seen from him, struggling visibly at the plate.

Dodgers general manager Brandon Gomes has disputed any direct link between Ohtani's on-field struggles and his physical condition, according to the report.

Dustin Nosler of Dodgers Digest has produced a detailed breakdown of the decline, cited by Yahoo Sports, which found that Ohtani's batting average and whiff rate have both worsened in the second half. Pitchers have increasingly attacked him up and away while also challenging him in the strike zone, and his chase rate has climbed as a result.

The wider context adds an unusual note of symmetry. Ohtani spent his early career with the Angels, a franchise now the subject of a reported sale in excess of $4 billion from Arte Moreno to Stan Kroenke, and one that struggled for years to build a winning team around Ohtani and Mike Trout. The Dodgers, by contrast, have won with Ohtani in both of his seasons in Los Angeles, but face their own questions now about whether his recovery has been properly managed.

With the postseason approaching, the Dodgers' handling of Ohtani's fitness is likely to remain under close scrutiny, and how he responds at the plate over the season's final weeks will shape expectations heading into October.