Former Cincinnati Reds first baseman Joey Votto offered his take on Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani's recent hitting performance during a Friday appearance on MLB Network. Votto focused on Ohtani's approach at the plate rather than overall results.
Votto said Ohtani has shown more trouble than usual with pitches at the top and outside edges of the strike zone. He noted that Ohtani is not letting the ball travel deep into the zone and is driving fewer balls to the opposite field than in past seasons, including September 2025 when that skill stood out as a strength.