Shohei Ohtani Has Finally “Reached His Full Potential as a Pitcher”… Experts Provide an In-Depth Analysis of His “Evolved Pitching Style” and Emergence as a Leader

Shohei Ohtani’s two-way play is evolving even further!

In the first half of this season, he returned to full-fledged two-way play for the first time in three years.As a pitcher, he threw 85.2 innings with a 1.79 ERA and an overwhelming record of 8 wins and 2 losses. As a hitter, while his home run total of 22 is on a slow pace, he recorded a .287 batting average—surpassing last year’s mark—and an OPS of .930, ranking third in the league. He is having the best season of his career.

Click here for Part 1 of our series, which looks back at Ohtani’s “BEST SHOT” moments—captured by the camera—as he charges toward the unprecedented feat of winning four consecutive MVP awards and three consecutive World Series titles.

Major League Baseball analyst Nachi Tomonari hailed the May 14 game against the Giants—in which Ohtani started—as “the moment pitcher Ohtani came into his own.”

“This season, Ohtani has moved away from a style of overpowering batters with a fastball exceeding 160 km/h, and has instead continued to pitch by inducing contact using a diverse array of breaking balls, including a sweeper, sinker, splitter, and curveball.His performance—seven innings, eight strikeouts, and no runs allowed—was simply spectacular.”

Mr. Yabu is also impressed by the evolution of his pitching style.

“I’m impressed by his cleverness in structuring his pitching from a long-term, season-wide perspective. For example, in April, fastballs and sweepers accounted for about 66% of his pitches; in May, he increased that to just under 85%; and now he’s brought it back down to around 75%.

MLB is a data-driven league, and if there’s a bias in a pitcher’s repertoire, opponents will adapt immediately; however, by adjusting his pitching mix on a monthly and game-by-game basis, he’s preventing them from zeroing in on a specific pitch.

If opponents start making solid contact on his sweeper more often, he can adjust—for example, by increasing the percentage of curves he throws. “It’s a pitching style designed with the World Series in mind,”

While Ohtani is leading the Dodgers both at the plate and on the mound, he has also demonstrated his leadership and determination.

“During the June 25 game against the Twins, there was a lack of communication regarding pitch selection and ABS challenges. On top of that, he lectured young catcher Dalton Rushing (25) on the mound after Rushing threw a passed ball in a crucial moment.　

Rushing is a player known for his outbursts—such as mocking the physique of opposing players—and struggles to control his emotions during games. By deliberately speaking harshly to such a partner, he was trying to spur him on.

That wasn’t simply an outburst of anger; rather, as the leader of a winning team, it was a clear demonstration of his determination to “lead the battery to victory.” In fact, when he took the mound against the Padres on July 4, he communicated his pitch selection using broad gestures, and there was no lingering animosity between them.“This season, we’ve seen more instances than usual of him rallying his teammates from the bench,” said Mr. Tomonari.

Ohtani is likely to continue excelling as the Dodgers’ spiritual pillar in the second half of the season.

From the August 7 & 14, 2026, combined issue of *FRIDAY*