Paul Skenes vs. Shohei Ohtani is a matchup that can elevate an entire game, and Wednesday’s matchup between the Los Angeles Dodgers and Pittsburgh Pirates exceeded expectations.
Skenes dominated in his fifth career start against the NL West-leading Dodgers, striking out Mookie Betts on four pitches. He then faced Ohtani, and what followed was nothing short of violent.
First pitch: 101.3 mph, strikeout.
Second pitch: 100.1 mph strikeout (foul tip).
Third pitch: 100.8 mph strikeout.
We may never see Ohtani in such a disadvantageous position again.
Skenes got Freddie Freeman out on a fly ball to end the inning.
The Skenes-Ohtani rematch came in the third inning with the Pirates leading 7-0 after a brutal defeat by Dodgers starter James Paxton. Skenes struck out again on his first pitch, a 99.6 mph fastball, then worked the count to completion.
Skenes had thrown six fastballs to Ohtani, striking him out on five of them, but he finally threw another fastball to end the game, but this time Ohtani caught it and sent a 415-foot fastball straight to the center fielder.
Par Sarah Langs for MLB.comThe 100.1 mph fastball was the fastest Ohtani has ever hit for a home run in his career.
Ohtani also won the third round, catching a 98.1 mph fastball for a one-out single in the fifth inning. Skenes pitched five innings, allowing three earned runs, six hits, one walk and eight strikeouts, leading the Pirates to a 10-6 victory.
That’s the fun of baseball, but perhaps no one has it more than Skenes. Though known as a fire-breathing monster on the mound, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 MLB Draft was once known for his abilities as both a hitter and a pitcher. During his time at the Air Force Academy, Skenes won the John Olerud Award as the nation’s top two-way player in 2022 before transferring to Louisiana State University to focus on pitching.
Speaking to MLB.com’s Alex Stumph, he said he idolized Ohtani during that stage of his career.
“I grew up watching him play,” Skenes said, “and even before I was drafted, I wanted to be a two-way player. He was inspiring in a lot of ways.”
Skenes got to see a side of that talent up close and personal on Wednesday, with mixed results.
