The Los Angeles Dodgers and the Pittsburgh Pirates are set to continue their weekend series tonight at 9 p.m. ET, with a matchup that promises to captivate baseball fans. This game will feature Los Angeles' Shohei Ohtani and Pittsburgh's rookie ace Paul Skenes, two of the game's most compelling talents.
This evening marks only the second career meeting between Ohtani and Skenes, adding an extra layer of intrigue to the contest. Their first encounter took place in early June at PNC Park, where Skenes demonstrated his prowess by striking out Ohtani in their initial showdown. However, Ohtani was quick to respond, smashing a 415-foot home run in their subsequent face-off. The night concluded with Ohtani hitting a solid single in his final at-bat, which was clocked as his hardest-hit ball of the evening at an impressive 107.6 mph exit velocity.
Ohtani's Remarkable Season
Shohei Ohtani has been an offensive powerhouse this season. Despite being sidelined from pitching as he recovers, Ohtani continues to make headlines. He is striving to become the first full-time designated hitter to win a Most Valuable Player (MVP) Award. This aspiration is well-supported by his statistics, as Ohtani has demonstrated exceptional performance against high-velocity pitches.
Ohtani has gone 9 for 18 against pitches of 98 mph or harder this season, boasting an average exit velocity of 99.8 mph on these pitches. Nearly 82% of Ohtani's balls in play exceed a 95 mph exit velocity, cementing his reputation as a batter with formidable power. However, it's not without challenge — Ohtani's 40% whiff rate on pitches of 98 mph or harder is notably above the league average of 24.7%.
Skenes Making His Mark
On the other side, Paul Skenes has been a revelation for the Pirates. His average four-seam fastball velocity of 98.9 mph ranks him fourth in the majors, only behind Mason Miller, Jhoan Duran, and Ryan Helsley. Skenes is not just making an impact; he's aiming for history. He is attempting to become the first player drafted to start the All-Star Game and win both the Rookie of the Year and Cy Young Awards in the same year. The only player to have achieved the latter is Fernando Valenzuela.
Reflecting on his first encounter 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."
Team Standings and Stakes
As teams, the Dodgers and Pirates find themselves in contrasting positions. The Dodgers hold a 2 1/2-game lead in the National League West and have a 98.4% chance of reaching the playoffs. The Dodgers' consistency and depth have been pivotal to their success this season. In contrast, the Pirates are 4 1/2 games back from the final wild-card spot and are struggling to keep their postseason hopes alive after enduring a five-game losing streak.
Tonight’s game will be the last meeting between the Dodgers and Pirates this year, unless fate brings them together in the playoffs. Fans will have to wait until April 25-27, 2025, for the next scheduled series between these two teams. Given the stakes and the star power on display, tonight's game promises to be a memorable chapter in this fledgling rivalry.