Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani Wins Award, Raising Impossible Standard Higher
Shohei Ohtani was named National League Pitcher of the Month for April, posting a 0.60 ERA with 34 strikeouts in 30 innings across five starts. His performance marks a remarkable return to elite pitching form after undergoing a hybrid Tommy John surgery in 2023. Ohtani has also maintained excellence as a designated hitter, winning two MVP awards while setting a high standard for MLB players.
- ▪Shohei Ohtani won the National League Pitcher of the Month award for April 2026.
- ▪He recorded a 0.60 ERA, 34 strikeouts, and a .160 opponents' batting average in five starts.
- ▪Ohtani is the first Dodgers pitcher since Hyun-Jin Ryu in 2019 to make five or more starts in a month with an ERA at or below 0.60.
- ▪He returned to pitching in June 2025 after not appearing in a game since September 2023 due to elbow surgery.
- ▪Ohtani's successful comeback supports the effectiveness of the hybrid Tommy John/internal brace surgical procedure.
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By Jon Paul HoornstraContributing Sports WriterShareNewsweek is a Trust Project memberSee more of our trusted coverage when you search.Prefer Newsweek on Googleto see more of our trusted coverage when you search.Shohei Ohtani was named the National League Pitcher of the Month for April. The Los Angeles Dodgers' two-way star went 2-1 with a 0.60 ERA while allowing 17 hits across five starts last month. Ohtani issued nine walks compared to 34 strikeouts, posted a 0.87 WHIP, and allowed opponents to bat .160 against him in 30 innings.
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