PITTSBURGH -- Shohei Ohtani and Paul Skenes missed their first-ever pitching matchup by just one day. After Skenes started for the Pirates against the Dodgers on Tuesday, Ohtani will follow on Wednesday to pitch in Pittsburgh for the first time in his career.
Like Skenes, Ohtani is very much in the NL Cy Young race in 2026. Through 10 starts, he carries a 0.74 ERA and 0.79 WHIP in 61 innings pitched, with 67 strikeouts. Ohtani has yet to allow more than two runs in any outing, and he enters this one with just one run allowed over his past four starts combined (0.38 ERA).
Here’s what to know ahead of Ohtani’s 11th start of the year.
Last time out:
Ohtani’s latest start was yet another stellar one, as he allowed just two hits and no runs in six innings in a 7-0 win over the Diamondbacks last Wednesday. (Oh, and he reached base five times as well, with three hits and two walks.) On the mound, Ohtani struck out six and walked one, landing 65% of his 89 pitches for strikes.
Ohtani’s previous start before facing the Diamondbacks came in a May 27 win over Colorado, in which he didn’t allow a hit over six innings. Ohtani did walk four batters in that game, leading to one run scored -- the only one he's allowed over his past 28 innings.
Facing Pittsburgh:
Ohtani has pitched against the Pirates just once in his nine-year MLB career but never as a member of the Dodgers. Ohtani’s start against the Pirates came on July 21, 2023, when he was still with the Angels. He allowed five runs, including four home runs, and six hits in 6 1/3 innings. Catcher Henry Davis went 3-for-4 against Ohtani with two of those home runs.
No current Pirates batter has more than three career plate appearances against Ohtani, and Jared Triolo is the only one besides Davis to record a hit against him.
Stat to know: Third all-time
Ohtani’s 0.74 ERA through 10 starts is one for the record books. Only two other starting pitchers had a lower ERA through their first 10 starts of a season (excluding openers) since the earned run became an official statistic in 1913. Ohtani joins Jacob deGrom in 2021 (0.56) and Juan Marichal in 1966 (0.59).