August 28, 2025 1:41 AM : Ohtani (1-1) earned the win over Cincinnati on Wednesday, allowing one run on two hits and two walks while striking out nine batters over five innings.
Analysis: Ohtani gave up a solo homer to Noelvi Marte in the third inning, but the Reds otherwise weren't able to do much against him. The two-way star got 14 whiffs on his 87 pitches and fanned a season-high nine batters. Of note, Ohtani threw 23 curveballs Wednesday -- per Jack Harris of the Los Angeles Times, which blew away his previous career-high total of 16. It's equally important that Ohtani was allowed to finish the fifth inning -- it was the first time this season he's gone that deep, which by rule means it's the first time he was able to qualify for a victory. That's a significant development for fantasy managers, as the Japanese superstar should be able to help in that category moving forward while potentially building upon his already impressive 44:7 K:BB through 32.1 frames.