Shohei Ohtani Reminds Dodgers Manager of Clayton Kershaw as a Pitcher

Los Angeles Dodgers two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani has been excellent this season, with his performances on the mound giving way to Cy Young conversations.

Ohtani has made nine starts for the Dodgers this year, sporting an astonishing ERA of 0.82 over 55 innings of work. The two-way superstar has taken his skillset on the mound to a new level this season, and it's helped keep the Dodgers in first place in the National League West.

Entering the year, Ohtani had a clear goal of winning the NL Cy Young award, and so far, his outings have showcased that. But Ohtani has also started to take on more of a persona when pitching, and it's been incredible to see.

With how Ohtani has been on the mound, his demeanor has reminded manager Dave Roberts of another legend. Roberts compared Ohtani to former Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw.

“A guy that wore No. 22 that we remember,” Roberts said of a comparison for Ohtani.

Kershaw was the face of the Dodgers organization for many years, with him arguably being the best pitcher in baseball between 2011 and 2018. The former ace gave the Dodgers extreme confidence each time he pitched, and Ohtani has now taken over the mantle as this pitcher for Los Angeles.

“I wouldn’t say he’s as animated as Clayton was, but he’s intense in his way,” Roberts said.

Roberts spent 10 years as the manager for Kershaw with the Dodgers, so he got to know him pretty well. Comparing Ohtani to the Dodgers legend is a big move, but Ohtani has more than earned it with how he's performed.

The two stars overlapped on the Dodgers for two seasons, with Kershaw being in awe of how Ohtani was on the field. Ohtani was only able to pitch for one season with the Dodgers alongside Kershaw, but that time showed how good he could be.

Kershaw won three Cy Young awards over the course of his long MLB career. This includes him taking home both the Cy Young and MVP awards in 2014, a feat that Ohtani is trying to replicate this season.

Ohtani is currently one of the favorites to win the NL MVP again this season, and if his pitching performance keeps up, he could take home both awards. But the big question around Ohtani's chance to win the Cy Young has been innings pitched, so he will need to stay consistent each time out on the mound.

The Dodgers have been very supportive of this Cy Young goal, and he's proved himself to be even more special than some thought. But the season is still young, and there is a long way to go before Ohtani's goal can come true.

Add us as a preferred source on Google