The Los Angeles Dodgers and Pittsburgh Pirates are poised for an electrifying continuation of their weekend series tonight at 9 p.m. ET. In a matchup that has fans buzzing, Los Angeles' Shohei Ohtani will battle Pittsburgh's rookie sensation Paul Skenes. This encounter marks only the second career meeting between these two standout players.
Previous Showdown
In their first meeting earlier this June at PNC Park, Skenes managed to strike out Ohtani in their initial confrontation. However, Ohtani quickly adapted, launching a 415-foot home run in their next face-off. Demonstrating both skill and resilience, Ohtani hit a solid single in their final at-bat that evening, registering his hardest-hit ball of the night with an exit velocity of 107.6 mph.
Ohtani's Unstoppable Form
While currently sidelined from pitching due to recovery, Ohtani remains a formidable force at the plate. He is on a mission to become the first full-time designated hitter to win the Most Valuable Player (MVP) Award. This season, he's gone 9 for 18 against pitches clocking at 98 mph or harder, boasting an average exit velocity of 99.8 mph on these pitches. Impressively, nearly 82% of Ohtani's balls in play surpass the 95 mph exit velocity mark. Despite a 40% whiff rate on fast pitches, which is above the league average of 24.7%, Ohtani's aggressive approach is yielding remarkable results.
Skenes' Meteoric Rise
On the mound, Paul Skenes has been delivering exceptional performances. With an average four-seam fastball velocity of 98.9 mph, he ranks fourth in the majors, trailing only Mason Miller, Jhoan Duran, and Ryan Helsley in this category. Skenes is not only aiming to secure the Rookie of the Year title but is also eyeing the prestigious Cy Young Award. Should he achieve this feat, he would join Fernando Valenzuela as the only players to win both awards in the same year. Skenes’ aspirations don't end there; he seeks to become the first player drafted to start the All-Star Game.
Reflecting on his previous encounters with Ohtani, Skenes remarked, "I like to call that big on big because I obviously beat him a couple of times earlier. I think that was the right pitch to throw there, he's just a pretty darn good player. Stuff like that is going to happen."
Teams' Current Standing
The Dodgers find themselves in a strong position, holding a 2 1/2-game lead in the National League West with a 98.4% probability of making it to the playoffs. In stark contrast, the Pirates are battling to stay in the postseason race, trailing 4 1/2 games behind the final wild-card spot. Their five-game losing streak has cast a shadow over their playoff ambitions.
Tonight's game adds another layer of intrigue as it will be the last time these two teams face off this year, barring a postseason matchup. Fans won't get to see another Dodgers-Pirates series until April 25-27, 2025.
As both teams take the field tonight, all eyes will be on the compelling duel between Ohtani and Skenes. This isn't just a clash of players but a battle of titans, with each one striving to etch their names into the annals of baseball history. Will Skenes manage to outshine Ohtani once again, or will Ohtani's batting prowess prevail? Baseball enthusiasts eagerly await to witness the next chapter in this fascinating rivalry.