Ohtani Powers Through Injuries as Dodgers Complete Sweep of Rays

Shohei Ohtani pitched through a bleeding blister and left knee soreness to secure a victory as the Los Angeles Dodgers rallied for a 5-4 comeback win over the Tampa Bay Rays, completing their second-ever sweep of the series. The reigning National League MVP allowed four runs and seven hits over six innings, with the damage concentrated in a difficult fifth inning when he faced nine batters and threw 26 pitches. After opening with four scoreless innings, Ohtani struggled in the fifth as the Rays turned a 2-0 deficit into a 4-2 lead, but he recovered with a clean sixth inning before entering the game as a pinch hitter.

Despite the challenges, Ohtani improved to 7-2 on the season. His performance marked the first time in 2026 he had allowed multiple earned runs in consecutive starts. The Dodgers' offense proved decisive in the comeback, with Freddie Freeman's two-run homer in the sixth inning regaining the lead and saving Ohtani from a potential loss. Ohtani, who had missed a game the previous week due to his knee injury and had his four-start winning streak snapped with a no-decision at Pittsburgh, grounded out in his one at-bat as a pinch hitter.

Despite the recent dip in performance, Ohtani maintains an ERA of 1.47, the second-best in Major League Baseball among pitchers with at least 50 innings pitched. The injury setbacks represent a departure from his earlier consistency; he had allowed just seven runs (five earned) in his first 10 starts before giving up eight runs (seven earned) across his past two outings. Ohtani acknowledged the physical toll of playing at the highest level. "You can't always go out there at 100 percent, so to still come away with the win like that was big," he said through a translator. Manager Dave Roberts praised his willingness to contribute offensively despite his physical condition, noting that Ohtani felt comfortable taking the at-bat in the sixth inning.