What happened: On ESPN's Baseball Tonight podcast, Buster Olney ran a rapid-fire segment with Nationals shortstop C.J. Abrams covering chess, the chattiest first basemen and the Washington offense. Jessica Mendoza joined to discuss how Shohei Ohtani pulled himself out of an early slump, the Dodgers, and Women's College World Series drama.
Why it matters: The segment lands as Ohtani's two-way production has become the dominant storyline in the National League, giving the Dodgers a unique edge. Abrams remains a cornerstone of a rebuilding Washington club still searching for offensive consistency.
By the numbers: Ohtani has lowered his ERA to 0.74 on the mound while continuing to produce at the plate, recently posting a line of two hits and a walk as a pitcher and three hits with two walks as a hitter in the same game.
What to watch: Watch for the full podcast release and whether Mendoza's Ohtani analysis previews his next scheduled two-way start.