Let me tell you something, folks: We are watching history unfold in real time.
Shohei Ohtani tossed seven shutout innings against the Giants last night, striking out eight while lowering his ERA to an absolutely microscopic 0.82. To put that in perspective, that's the second-best ERA by a Dodgers pitcher through seven starts since earned runs became official in the National League way back in 1912.
The only pitcher ahead of him? Fernando Valenzuela during his legendary Fernandomania run in 1981, when he posted a 0.29 ERA to start the season.
That's the kind of company Ohtani is keeping right now. Hall of Fame company. All-time great company.
"I'm just trying to execute my pitches," Ohtani said through his translator, as humble as ever. But don't let the humility fool you—this man is absolutely dealing right now.
Seven innings. Four hits. Two walks. Eight strikeouts. 105 pitches, 71 for strikes. That's command. That's dominance. That's what ace pitching looks like.
And here's what makes it even more remarkable: Ohtani isn't just pitching like this—he's doing it after rehabbing from injury, after moving to a new team, after dealing with everything that comes with being the most scrutinized player in baseball.
The Los Angeles crowd gave him a standing ovation when he left after the seventh, and it was well-deserved. This isn't just good pitching. This is historic pitching.
"He's special," Dodgers manager said. "We're watching something we might not see again."
With an 0.82 ERA through seven starts, Ohtani isn't just rewriting what we thought possible—he's putting together a season that will be talked about for generations.
