Shohei Ohtani is preparing for his third pitching start of the 2025 season as the Los Angeles Dodgers face the struggling Kansas City Royals at Kauffman Stadium. The Dodgers hope Ohtani’s presence on the mound will extend their winning streak to six games while the Royals try to avoid their 12th straight home loss, a franchise record low.
Ohtani’s Recovery and Performance on the Mound
Ohtani, pitching with a 4.50 ERA and no decisions so far, has limited his outings to one inning each as he recovers from recent elbow surgery that temporarily paused his pitching role. In his two starts, he allowed a run and two hits against the San Diego Padres on June 16, then struck out two batters over one flawless inning versus Washington on Sunday. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts remains cautious about Ohtani’s workload, unsure when he will be stretched out fully as a starting pitcher.
I think we’re always gonna be cautious,
Roberts said.
So, I don’t even know what that’s going to look like, to be ‘fully built-up.’
It’s not a normal starting pitcher.
Roberts added.
Ohtani’s History Against the Royals and Recent Offensive Success
Ohtani has been exceptional when facing Kansas City, holding a 2-0 record with an impressive 0.47 ERA in three career starts, all while playing for the Los Angeles Angels. Over his last two outings versus the Royals, he allowed only four hits and three walks while striking out 24 batters across 15 scoreless innings. Offensively, he recently hit his 29th home run and contributed a crucial game-tying triple in Friday’s 5-4 victory that kicked off the series.
Royals Endeavor to End Historic Home Losing Streak
The Royals are desperate to halt their longest-ever losing stretch at home. They have not won at Kauffman Stadium since a 1-0 victory over the Detroit Tigers on May 31. Recently, the Royals have scored only eight runs while enduring six consecutive losses overall. Despite out-hitting the Dodgers 11-4 in Friday’s game, Kansas City failed to capitalize, leaving 11 baserunners stranded.
None of what is going on is anything other than us,
explained Royals player Vinnie Pasquantino.
There is a recipe for success in there somewhere. We just haven’t done it.
Matchup Between Key Players: Ohtani and Seth Lugo
Bobby Witt Jr. hit a two–run homer on Friday for Kansas City, though he has struggled against Ohtani, going 0-for-6 with five strikeouts. Ohtani himself is hitless in six career at-bats against Royals starter Seth Lugo, who carries a 4-5 record and 2.93 ERA. Lugo has been in solid form during June, pitching four starts with a 1.57 ERA and one win, though the Royals have posted a 1-3 record in those outings.
In Lugo’s recent outing, he delivered a quality start against San Diego, allowing one run and two hits with seven strikeouts over 6⅓ innings. Last year, Lugo’s only start against the Dodgers while with Kansas City resulted in a 7-2 Royals win, as he gave up two runs and six hits over six innings.
Mookie Betts’ Performance Adds to Dodgers’ Edge
Mookie Betts played a pivotal role in Friday’s win with a tiebreaking RBI single in the fifth inning. Against Lugo, Betts is 3-for-7 with one home run, and he has been particularly productive at Kauffman Stadium, batting 11-for-22 with seven RBIs over his last six games in Kansas City.
Significance of the Upcoming Game and Its Potential Impact
The Dodgers look to capitalize on Ohtani’s dual-threat prowess to continue their momentum and break the Royals’ concerning home losing streak. Kansas City faces mounting pressure to halt their slide amid frustration over wasted scoring opportunities. How long Ohtani can pitch and the pitching duel with Lugo will be critical to the outcome and could shape the series dynamic as it moves forward.