The Los Angeles Dodgers and Pittsburgh Pirates are set to light up the diamond again tonight at 9 p.m. ET as they continue their weekend series. This game is highly anticipated, featuring marquee matchups on the mound and a thrilling confrontation between Los Angeles' Shohei Ohtani and Pittsburgh's rookie ace Paul Skenes. Baseball enthusiasts have been buzzing as the two stars square off for only the second time in their careers.
Ohtani vs. Skenes: Round Two
The initial encounter between Ohtani and Skenes occurred in early June at PNC Park. In that game, both players demonstrated why they are among the most exciting talents in Major League Baseball today. Skenes struck out Ohtani in their first showdown, but the Japanese phenom quickly responded with a towering 415-foot homer in their subsequent face-off. Ohtani closed the night by hitting a blistering single, his hardest-hit ball of the evening, clocking in at 107.6 mph exit velocity.
Paul Skenes remarked on these battles, "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 Stellar Season
Shohei Ohtani, currently sidelined as a pitcher due to recovery, has been making significant contributions as a designated hitter. His aspirations to become the first full-time designated hitter to win a Most Valuable Player (MVP) Award have been far from quixotic. Ohtani’s statistics this season are nothing short of phenomenal. He has gone 9 for 18 against pitches that clock in at 98 mph or harder, with an average exit velocity of 99.8 mph on these pitches. Nearly 82% of his balls in play exceed a 95 mph exit velocity, and despite a 40% whiff rate on such high-speed pitches, Ohtani continues to defy league averages.
Skenes’ Remarkable Rookie Run
On the other side, Paul Skenes has been crafting a rookie season for the ages. His average four-seam fastball velocity sits at a blistering 98.9 mph, ranking him fourth among Major League pitchers. The only pitchers ahead of him in this category are Mason Miller, Jhoan Duran, and Ryan Helsley. Skenes is vying to become the first player drafted to start the All-Star Game, and his ambitions don’t stop there. He aims to etch his name alongside Fernando Valenzuela as the only players to win both the Rookie of the Year and Cy Young Awards in the same year.
Playoff Implications
For the Dodgers, tonight's game holds significant playoff ramifications. Leading the National League West by 2 1/2 games, they have a robust 98.4% chance of reaching the postseason. Contrarily, the Pirates find themselves in a more precarious position. They are 4 1/2 games back from the final wild-card spot and are in desperate need of a turnaround after enduring a five-game losing streak. This game will be their last meeting with the Dodgers this year unless fate brings them together again in the playoffs. Fans will have to wait until April 25-27, 2025, for these two teams to clash again in the regular season.
As the Dodgers and Pirates prepare to face off tonight, all eyes will be on Ohtani and Skenes. Will Skenes find a way to douse Ohtani's fire, or will Ohtani continue to thrive against one of the league's top young pitchers? In a matchup that promises excitement and high stakes, baseball fans are in for a treat.