Shohei Ohtani made history on Tuesday, becoming the first Japanese-born player to record 300 home runs and 100 stolen bases within his first nine MLB seasons. Despite his leadoff home run, the Los Angeles Dodgers fell to the Colorado Rockies 4-3 at Dodger Stadium.
The loss was compounded by defensive struggles in the eighth inning, where a pair of errors allowed the go-ahead run to score. Shortstop Miguel Rojas, who committed a mental error on a bunt play, took responsibility for the lapse. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts noted, “Physical errors happen, and I’m OK with that. But mental errors are the ones that are disappointing.”
On the mound, Justin Wrobleski continued to strengthen his case for an All-Star selection. The left-hander, nicknamed “The Shark” by Hall of Fame pitcher Pedro Martínez, tossed seven innings of one-run ball with nine strikeouts. Roberts has been actively lobbying for Wrobleski’s inclusion, citing his 2.69 ERA and consistent performance in the team’s six-man rotation. While not initially selected, the Dodgers remain hopeful for late roster changes.
The game also marked a significant return for the bullpen as right-hander Evan Phillips made his first major-league appearance in 14 months. Phillips, who underwent Tommy John surgery last summer, delivered a scoreless ninth inning with two strikeouts, signaling a potential boost for the team’s late-inning relief options.
Looking ahead, Ohtani is scheduled to pitch Friday against the Arizona Diamondbacks. While he is expected to participate in the All-Star Game as the National League’s starting designated hitter, Roberts indicated that Ohtani will likely skip the Home Run Derby to manage his workload.