Ohtani’s new batting approach! Shortening his swing after two strikes — Roberts: The complete hitter

Shohei Ohtani, the Japanese player for the Dodgers, has introduced a new batting tactic: after getting two strikes, he shortens his swing to concentrate on making contact, resulting in a .397 average since August. Manager Dave Roberts commended him, stating, “I really appreciate this adjustment.”

Roberts seldom has negative remarks about Ohtani. On August 10 (11th Beijing time), playing at home against the Blue Jays, Ohtani struck out swinging in the bottom of the ninth with the bases loaded, one out, and the Dodgers trailing 4-5 — a prime opportunity for a comeback.

After the game, Roberts commented, “I didn’t expect him to strike out. The opposing pitcher wasn’t particularly fast; he needed to put the ball in play. In that situation, you have to get a hit and avoid swinging at those low pitches.”

Following that, Ohtani began shortening his swing with two strikes. On the 17th (18th Beijing time) against the Padres at home, in his first at-bat of the first inning facing Yu Darvish, he locked onto a low 95.6 mph fastball after two strikes and singled to right field, sparking a four-run rally for the Dodgers.

Currently, Ohtani has reached base in all 16 games played in August, boasting a .397 batting average. Roberts said, “I love this adjustment. I admire hitters who can change their approach after two strikes. It’s great — he’s hitting lots of line drives and still getting hits even with two strikes. If he gets ahead in the count, he goes for power; once he’s down to two strikes, he shortens up and focuses on getting a hit.”

Roberts noted that Ohtani showed the same approach during crucial moments late last season. He said, “That’s fantastic. When the count is in his favor, he can look for extra-base hits; when he’s behind with two strikes, he shortens his swing and focuses on singles. That’s what makes him a complete hitter.”