"The ball just does different things when it comes off his bat" - Dave Roberts praises Shohei Ohtani's extraordinary hitting prowess

Wednesday night saw the Los Angeles Dodgers secure an impressive 11-2 win against the Washington Nationals. Two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani showcased his batting skills during the game at the Nationals Park.

Ohtani improved his major league batting average to .371 by hitting three doubles. Talking about the 29-year-old yesterday, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said to the media (via Washington Post):

"His average exit velocity on balls he puts in play, he's got to be in a category by himself. The ball just does different things when it comes off his bat."

Shohei Ohtani went 3-for-6, scoring RBI doubles in the eighth and ninth innings, further solidifying his position atop the charts with his already impressive scores. He has a .433 on-base percentage, a .695 slugging percentage, 1.128 OPS, and 21 extra-base hits.

The Dodgers recorded a season-high of 20 hits, securing third consecutive win. In the eighth inning, Andy Pages recorded a 375-foot homer, his second of the season, against Tanner Rainey.

Mookie Betts and Will Smith each recorded four hits, contributing to two runs each. Max Muncy also hit a single in the third inning that brought in a run for the Dodgers.

Landon Knack recorded his first win of the season after losing his debut game against the Washington Nationals last week. He limited the Nationals to two runs on three hits and as many walks, while striking out five batters and finished strong by retiring the last 13 batters he faced.

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Shohei Ohtani expressed gratitude for the Dodgers' support amid Ippei Mizuhara scandal

Before the Wednesday's game, Shohei Ohtani talked to the media about how grateful he is for the support from the Los Angeles Dodgers amid controversies related to his former interpreter.

According to Andy McCullough of The Athletic, Ohtani said through an interpreter:

"The investigation is currently still going on, so I can't really say much about that. But it made me really realize how supportive the teammates, the organization, the staff have been towards me. It's just allowed me to really reflect on how grateful I am to be surrounded by them."

Dave Roberts also suggested that with Mizuhara gone, Ohtani is more open to his teammates and coaches.