​The first half of the 2026 Major League Baseball season is winding down, and the Los Angeles Dodgers have surged to the best record in baseball as they chase a third consecutive World Series title. A major factor in Los Angeles’s success has been Shohei Ohtani, who is enjoying the finest year of his pitching career while continuing to post strong hitting numbers.
On the balance, Ohtani presents two very different personas depending on whether he is at the plate or on the mound. Recently, Max Muncy and Mookie Betts, Ohtani’s Dodgers teammates, discussed this contrast on the On Base podcast, noting how his demeanor shifts with the task at hand. Betts highlighted the enjoyment of watching Ohtani’s approach to pitching this season, saying, “Really seeing Shohei this year, his mindset on it, on pitching, is really neat for me.” Through 14 starts, Ohtani has gone 8-2 with a 1.79 ERA and a 0.95 WHIP over 85.2 innings, a stretch that has fans and teammates alike marveling at his command and control.
“It’s been really fun to watch,” Muncy said, adding that Ohtani clearly loves hitting but, more than that, loves pitching. “Like he loves everything about pitching. He likes working at it, he likes talking about it, he likes scouting for it.” Hitting, for Ohtani, appears almost effortless. “Hitting just comes easy to him,” Muncy noted. “He just does it. But pitching, pitching, you see him out there every single day doing bullpens and working on his mechanics and working on throwing.”
Ohtani’s pitching arc has a particular backstory. After missing the mound in 2024 while recovering from elbow surgery, he did not return to the Dodgers’ rotation until June 2025. Now fully healthy, he has reestablished himself as a dominant presence on the mound. “And it’s like the amount of work he puts in at pitching,” Muncy said, “I almost feel like if he did that for hitting, he’d be, you know, he was out there with the 400 average and 60 home runs. But, you know, it’s just, yeah, it’s just insane to watch him do what he does every single day.”
Betts admires the stark personality shift Ohtani shows on the mound. “What’s cool is to see the difference in his mentality,” Betts explained. “When he hits, he’s a normal guy—easy to talk to, happy-go-lucky. But when he’s on the mound, it’s like a completely different person; he becomes a killer out there.” Muncy echoed the sentiment, noting that when Ohtani is pitching, he creates an unbreachable focus, and even a casual interruption would risk breaking that mindset. That intense focus, along with his relentless preparation, has contributed to Ohtani’s success and, by extension, the Dodgers’ strong performance this season.
As the season progresses, the Dodgers remain in prime position at the top of the standings, thanks in large part to Ohtani’s dual-threat prowess. His mastery on the mound, paired with his elite hitting, continues to redefine what a modern ace can look like and reinforces Los Angeles’s status as a formidable title contender. Don’t miss out on the latest from our ROUNDTABLE community, where joining is free and you can share your thoughts, engage with Roundtable writers, and chat with fellow readers. Download the free Roundtable app to stay even more connected.