By Earl Heath | Contributing Sports Writer
Shohei Ohtani has already built one of the most unique careers in baseball history, but the Dodgers star recently added something new to his résumé.
Ohtani was named National League Pitcher of the Month for March/April, the first pitching-specific monthly honor of his major league career.
He is no stranger to monthly recognition. Ohtani has won Player of the Month six times, including four in the American League and two in the National League. But this was the first time he was honored strictly for his work on the mound.
During March and April, Ohtani made five starts and went 2-1 with a 0.60 ERA, 0.87 WHIP and 34 strikeouts against nine walks in 30 innings. He worked six innings in each start, allowed just two earned runs and four total runs, and topped 100 pitches once, in his April 28 start as Los Angeles continued to build up his workload.
The numbers showed just how dominant he was.
1.3: Ohtani’s pitching fWAR during the month, second in the National League behind Mets right-hander Nolan McLean. When combined with his hitting production, Ohtani ranked third in baseball with 2.0 total fWAR.
1.90: Ohtani’s FIP, the best mark in the National League and second in Major League Baseball among pitchers with at least 30 innings.
2.24: His expected ERA, the best in baseball among pitchers with at least 30 innings.
.000: Opponents’ batting average against his curveball. Ohtani threw the pitch 63 times during the award period, and opponents put it in play only five times while striking out four times.
2: Dodgers wins in Ohtani’s five starts. In the three losses, he allowed only one earned run combined.
0: Home runs allowed in 30 innings during March and April. In 2023, his last full season as a pitcher, Ohtani averaged 1.23 home runs allowed per nine innings.
The Dodgers backed Ohtani with eight runs in an 8-2 win over the New York Mets on April 15, but run support was harder to come by in his other outings. Even with Ohtani limiting opponents, Los Angeles won only two of his first five starts.
After the award period ended, Ohtani remained sharp in a May 5 matchup against the Houston Astros, though he took the loss in a 2-1 game. He allowed two runs on four hits and struck out eight over seven innings. Christian Walker and Braden Shewmake hit solo home runs, the first long balls Ohtani had allowed all season.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts still praised the outing.
“Good outing. Really good outing,” Roberts said. “I thought his fastball was really good. I thought he was using the curveball, which wasn’t great tonight, but the sweeper was good when it needed to be.”
Even on a night when two pitches cost him, Ohtani showed why his return to pitching has become one of baseball’s biggest stories. His March/April award was not just another honor. It was another reminder that Ohtani continues to do things few players in the game have ever done.