Shohei Ohtani Ties Dodgers Home Run Record and Progresses Towards Pitching Return

Shohei Ohtani continued his remarkable 2025 season by hitting a home run for the fifth consecutive game on Wednesday, a 441-foot blast off Twins starter Chris Paddack, tying a Los Angeles Dodgers franchise record previously held by six other players. This marked his NL-leading 37th home run of the season, bringing his season stats to a .276 batting average with 70 RBIs, and positioning him to potentially claim the franchise record on Friday against the Red Sox. Beyond his dominant offensive performance, Ohtani is steadily progressing in his pitching rehabilitation following his second UCL repair and a labral repair, having completed six systematic starts and scheduled to throw four innings in Cincinnati on Monday as he builds towards peak pitching comfort and volume for the playoffs. In Wednesday's game, Ohtani also scored the decisive game-winning run from second base on Freddie Freeman's walk-off single, contributing to the Dodgers' 4-3 victory over the Minnesota Twins.