Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani Reveals Impact of Nagging Blister on His Pitching

Los Angeles Dodgers two-way star Shohei Ohtani has been incredible on the mound this year, putting together a potential Cy Young-worthy season.

However, it was recently revealed that Ohtani has been dealing with a blister on his pitching hand, specifically his middle finger. The issue hasn't seemed to impact Ohtani too much, as he's been pitching through it, and continuing to dominate.

Ohtani fired six shutout innings against the Arizona Diamondbacks last week, showing no real problems. But any time blisters become an issue, it can be a highly talked-about subject.

So, after Ohtani's worst start of the season against the Pittsburgh Pirates on Wednesday, where he allowed four runs (three earned) over 6.2 innings, he was asked about the impact of the blister.

“No issues with the blisters. I don’t think it’s been affecting my performance,” Ohtani said. “Just the last couple at-bats, I wish I got some calls my way, but it just didn’t turn out that way, and that’s the part that I wish I could have been able to change a little bit.”

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts also brushed off the blister as a problem when it first came around. But it's fair to wonder whether it was bothering Ohtani late in the game against Pittsburgh since he hadn't been hit in that manner all year.

Ohtani has been one of the best pitchers in the game this season, with his ERA being under 1.00 until the matchup with the Pirates. Now, his ERA sits at 1.06 over 11 starts.

The two-way superstar had gotten off to one of the best starts in MLB history, showcasing his rare talent on the mound. Ohtani came into the year fully healthy for the first time since 2023, and he's been proving to be truly special again.

Ohtani came into the season intending to win the Cy Young award in the National League, so any poor outings will challenge that plan. Ohtani is firmly in the discussion, but he has some tough competition with Cristopher Sanchez of the Philadelphia Phillies and Jacob Misiorowski of the Milwaukee Brewers both having special seasons as well.

Ohtani is the ultimate competitor, and he'll likely use this outing against Pittsburgh to get even better. His desire to be perfect makes him great, but it can also hinder his ability to recognize all the good he has done on the mound.

“He’s really being very selfish with baserunners, trying to give up runs,” Roberts said last week. “I think a lot of starting pitchers, you feel your way into the game, give up a couple early and you bear down. With Shohei, every run is a premium.

"He’s literally trying to throw a shutout every time out there.”

Ohtani will figure out how to navigate this "poor" outing and learn from it. His next start should come at home against the Tampa Bay Rays next week, but it remains to be seen if his left knee inflammation has any impact on him making that start.

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