The Los Angeles Dodgers and Pittsburgh Pirates continue their weekend series tonight at 9 p.m. ET, showcasing a compelling matchup. On one side stands Los Angeles' Shohei Ohtani, and on the other, Pittsburgh's rookie ace Paul Skenes.
Past Encounters and Performances
This game marks only the second career meeting between Ohtani and Skenes, with their initial encounter earlier in June at PNC Park etched into memory. In their first showdown, Skenes managed to strike out Ohtani, but the seasoned Ohtani quickly adapted. As the game progressed, Ohtani delivered a 415-foot home run and followed it up with a solid single in their final at-bat, clocking in at a remarkable 107.6 mph exit velocity. Skenes admitted, "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."
Ohtani's Unmatched Skill
Currently sidelined as a pitcher due to recovery, Ohtani is leveraging his prowess as a designated hitter, striving to become the first full-time DH to win a Most Valuable Player (MVP) Award. His stats speak volumes about his prowess; he has gone 9 for 18 against pitches of 98 mph or harder this season, with an average exit velocity of 99.8 mph. Notably, nearly 82% of Ohtani's balls in play exceed a 95 mph exit velocity. However, his 40% whiff rate on pitches of 98 mph or harder is above the league average of 24.7%, indicating that while he can hit fastballs hard, he also misses more often than usual.
Challenges for Paul Skenes
Paul Skenes, on the other hand, boasts an average four-seam fastball velocity of 98.9 mph, ranking him fourth in the majors behind Mason Miller, Jhoan Duran, and Ryan Helsley. More than just the numbers, Skenes harbors lofty goals; he aims to become the first player drafted to start the All-Star Game and is ambitiously eyeing both the Rookie of the Year and Cy Young Awards in his debut season. Achieving such a feat would place him in the esteemed company of Fernando Valenzuela, the only player to have won both awards in the same year.
Team Performance and Stakes
The stakes for this game are high. The Dodgers currently maintain a 2 1/2-game lead in the National League West and have an impressive 98.4% chance of reaching the playoffs. In stark contrast, the Pirates find themselves 4 1/2 games back from the final wild-card spot, struggling to keep their postseason hopes alive amid a five-game losing streak.
With this being the last scheduled meeting between the Dodgers and Pirates this year, the anticipation is palpable. The next Pirates-Dodgers series won't come until April 25-27, 2025, adding an additional layer of urgency and excitement to tonight's game. For fans and players alike, this game serves as a crucial juncture in what has been a season of highs and lows for both teams.