Mookie Betts offers solid response to ‘what’s wrong’ with Shohei Ohtani

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Mookie Betts pushed back on the idea that something is wrong with Shohei Ohtani just because his bat has cooled off.

Ohtani’s offensive standards are so absurd that even a short slump can make the conversation around him feel exaggerated.

Betts’ response was a reminder that Ohtani is still shaping games in ways most hitters never can.

Mookie Betts defends Shohei Ohtani’s questions

Speaking in a clip shared by Bleacher Report, Mookie Betts addressed the quick panic that follows whenever Shohei Ohtani has a quiet stretch at the plate.

Betts said,”If he doesn’t get a hit or it doesn’t maybe have a couple bad games, it’s like what’s wrong with Shohei?”

“Well, I mean he did just go seven innings, you know, two hits. He does have a 0.7 ERA. You forget all the other ways that he really affects the game,” he added.

That answer works because it cuts through the usual Ohtani noise. A normal star can be judged almost entirely by the box score at the plate, but Ohtani’s value is split across two jobs.

His bat has not looked like the usual force for long stretches this season, but his pitching has been dominant enough to change the entire conversation.

Shohei Ohtani’s hitting slump needs a wider context

The concern over Ohtani’s offense is not completely empty, but it can become misleading when separated from the rest of his season.

Ohtani entered this week hitting .258 with a .372 on-base percentage, .454 slugging percentage, seven home runs, and 24 RBIs. Those numbers are solid for most players, but they feel light because Ohtani has set a much higher standard.

The dip has been clearer in May, where his batting average and power production have both fallen from his April pace. He also had a five-game hitless stretch from April 30 to May 4, his longest since 2022.

Betts’ point is that the panic ignores what Ohtani is doing on the mound. He carried a 0.82 ERA through seven starts, with 50 strikeouts and only 11 walks across 44 innings.

His recent seven-scoreless-inning start against the Giants showed how much he can still control a game even when the bat is not carrying headlines.

Ohtani’s hitting slump is real by his standards. The larger truth is that his floor still includes elite pitching, on-base value and constant pressure on opponents.