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MLB·ANALYSIS·September 1, 2026 05:18 AM ET

Ohtani trails MLB’s top bat since last start

A 3.1-fWAR gap has opened during his mound absence.

Wire Report IntelligenceUpdated Sep 11 min read
Post on X
Since Shohei Ohtani last pitched: PCA          Ohtani fWAR 4.1 (1st)    1.0 (58th) wRC+ 180           130 H Via @Buster_ESPN on X

What happened: Ohtani has not pitched since July 3 after knee issues delayed his return to the mound.

Why it matters: The comparison underscores how much ground he has lost in the late-season MVP discussion while remaining out of the pitching rotation.

By the numbers: Since Ohtani last pitched, the league-leading comparison posted 4.1 fWAR to Ohtani’s 1.0, with a 180-130 wRC+ edge. The gap includes 19-12 in home runs, 43-26 in runs, 42-30 in RBIs and 11-4 in stolen bases.

What to watch: Watch for the next update on Ohtani’s pitching workload and return timetable.

Sources

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