While the Dodgers celebrate a 4-3 victory over the Twins thanks to Shohei Ohtani’s fifth consecutive home run, the Yankees fell 8-4 to the Blue Jays and added another forgettable performance.
While the Los Angeles team leads the National League West Division by five games, the New York team has five losses in its last 10 games and remains in second place in the American League East Division, four games behind the Blue Jays and dangerously close to the Red Sox, so if they continue this trend, they could drop to third place.
How many home runs does Shohei Ohtani have in 2025?
The current contrast between the two teams could not be more stark and is largely thanks to Ohtani, who leads the National League with 37 home runs and is on track for another 50-homer season.
Why didn’t Shohei Ohtani sign with the Yankees?
For Yankees fans, Wednesday night was a painful reminder that Ohtani has had two opportunities to wear the pinstripes: one in 2017 and another in 2023.
On both occasions he said no and as a consequence today, he shines in Los Angeles with one of the biggest rivals. With the Dodgers he has already lifted a title and even celebrated that crown at Yankee Stadium.
The Yankees, a team without a clear direction
Sure, Ohtani would not have avoided the four defensive errors that New York committed against Toronto, but in the team’s golden days, with figures such as Jeter or Posada, a lineup full of talent knew how to overcome bad nights on defense or on the mound.
On Wednesday, however, the Yankees fielded a lineup with uninspiring names such as Anthony Volpe, who at least hit a home run in the fifth inning, backup catcher J.C. Escarra and Oswald Peraza, a third baseman who has struggled to produce offensively.
The team that started the year with high expectations now looks disorganized, lacking in strength and with a playoff spot no longer assured. Meanwhile, on the West Coast, Ohtani continues to rack up stats, awards and victories.
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