Ohtani Removed After Five No-Hit Innings as Dodgers’ Bullpen Collapses

The Los Angeles Dodgers took another tough loss on Tuesday night. Shohei Ohtani dominated on the mound, but it just wasn’t enough.

Ohtani tossed five no-hit innings against the Philadelphia Phillies. Then, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts made the call to pull him, citing long-term health over the game’s outcome.

This move, part of a season-long plan to protect Ohtani after his second Tommy John surgery, instantly backfired. The bullpen couldn’t hold the lead, and what could’ve been a special night turned ugly fast.

Shohei Ohtani’s Brilliant Yet Brief Outing

For five innings, Shohei Ohtani was untouchable. He needed just 68 pitches to get the Phillies’ first 15 outs without giving up a hit.

His fastball touched triple digits. The breaking stuff was sharp, and hitters just looked lost.

Ohtani struck out five. He retired the last 13 batters he faced, breezing through the lineup and showing zero fatigue.

The Reason Behind the Quick Hook

Roberts said there was never any chance Ohtani would pitch beyond the fifth. The Dodgers are sticking to strict limits, balancing his roles as pitcher and hitter after that second Tommy John surgery.

Roberts keeps saying it’s about the long haul, not a single game. Fans and analysts? They’re not all convinced, especially with the bullpen struggling like this.

The Bullpen Breakdown

Handing the ball to the bullpen turned out to be a disaster. In the sixth, rookie Justin Wrobleski gave up five runs, including a two-run double by Bryce Harper and a brutal three-run homer by Brandon Marsh.

Edgardo Henriquez and veteran Blake Treinen also couldn’t stop the bleeding. The Phillies kept piling on.

Key Bullpen Failures

The Dodgers’ relievers have been a mess for weeks. Tuesday’s meltdown just made things worse.

In their last two games against Philly, they’ve allowed 13 runs in eight innings. The bullpen’s 4.30 ERA ranks 20th out of 30 MLB teams—not exactly inspiring confidence for October.

There’s just no reliable arm late in games. It’s hard not to worry about their postseason chances at this point.

Ohtani’s Historic Home Run Milestone

Even after coming out as a pitcher, Ohtani made noise at the plate. In the eighth, he smashed his 50th home run of the season, tying the game 6-6.

That shot made him just the sixth player in MLB history with back-to-back 50-homer seasons. The guy’s a unicorn—nobody else does what he does on both sides of the ball.

A Short-Lived Comeback

The stadium erupted, but the joy didn’t last. In the ninth, Treinen gave up a crushing three-run homer to Phillies backup catcher Rafael Marchán, and that was pretty much it.

The Dodgers fell to 84-67. That playoff race is feeling a whole lot tighter now.

The Phillies, already NL East champs, just keep rolling. They’re chasing that first-round playoff bye and don’t look like they’re letting up.

What This Means for the Dodgers Moving Forward

With only a handful of games left, the Dodgers are in a tough spot. Ohtani’s health plan makes sense for the future, but the bullpen keeps coughing up leads.

Roberts isn’t budging on how he’s handling Ohtani. Still, you can feel fans losing patience as these winnable games keep slipping away.

Key Takeaways

Tuesday’s loss really highlights a few problems the Dodgers can’t ignore as they head toward the playoffs.

• Ohtani’s pitching role stays strictly managed, no matter what’s happening in the game.
• The bullpen keeps showing its inconsistency—still the team’s biggest weakness.
• Even when the offense shines, it can’t always save them from late-game pitching meltdowns.
• If they want to go far in October, they’ve got to find one or two relievers they can actually trust.

—

If you want, I can also provide you with an *SEO-optimized meta description* and suggested *keyword list* for this blog post so it can rank higher on Google. Would you like me to prepare that for you?
 
Here is the source article for this story: Shohei Ohtani is removed after five no-hit innings, then Dodgers’ bullpen collapses in loss