The LA Dodgers' experiment with Shohei Ohtani batting leadoff has been successful so far.

The Dodgers had to reassess their leadoff position when Mookie Betts was injured during a home game against the Kansas City Royals on the 17th of last month. Betts was hit on his left hand by a 97.9 mph (about 157.6 km/h) fastball from right-hander Dan Altavilla and had to be replaced. X-rays revealed a fracture.

Following Betts' injury, Ohtani, who had been batting second, was moved to the leadoff spot. This caused a disruption in the Dodgers' "MVP lineup" of Betts, Ohtani, and Freddie Freeman. However, Ohtani has been compensating for Betts' absence.

At the beginning of the season, there were concerns that Ohtani had lost his prowess, as he was not hitting home runs like he did in 2021 when he won the unanimous American League MVP. However, as he continued to play, he regained his form, and he has been hitting even better from the leadoff position.

The Japanese media outlet 'Baseball Channel' reported, "He's dominating. Ohtani once lost his specialty but has regained it and is at the top of various National League metrics."

In his last 15 games, Ohtani has posted a batting average of .364 (20 hits in 55 at-bats). During this period, he hit 9 home runs and recorded 18 RBIs. His slugging percentage was .909, and his on-base percentage was .493. He has been fulfilling his role as a leadoff hitter well.

Although he went 0-for-5 in his most recent game against the San Francisco Giants, his power hitting has been unsettling the opposition as a strong leadoff hitter. This has alleviated concerns about Betts' absence, the 2018 American League MVP.

There were times when Ohtani's batting form was off, even before Betts' injury. However, Ohtani came alive when Betts was out.

Manager Dave Roberts said, "Ohtani started hitting strikes a few days before Betts was sidelined. He has returned to a good state where he is not chasing balls."

Ohtani is playing for the Dodgers on a 10-year, $700 million contract. Due to elbow surgery last year, he cannot pitch this season, but he is showing tremendous power at the plate.

This season, in 82 games, Ohtani is batting .316 with 26 home runs, 62 RBIs, 16 stolen bases, a .399 on-base percentage, a .635 slugging percentage, and an OPS of 1.034.

Ohtani is currently leading the National League in home runs, ranks third in RBIs, is tied for eighth in stolen bases, first in batting average, third in on-base percentage, first in slugging percentage, and first in OPS.먹튀검증