Ohtani takes – Shohei Ohtani’s 100-mph fastball fueled a 4-3 Dodgers win over the Twins on Wednesday night at Target Field, but the key turning point came in the bottom of the second—when rookie catcher Dalton Rushing and Ohtani collided on pitch communication. After Ohtani
MINNEAPOLIS — Shohei Ohtani came into Target Field with the kind of dominance fans have come to expect from him. But Wednesday night’s assignment didn’t feel routine. It carried the weight of a first true rough patch of the 2026 season. a pitching blister on his right middle finger. and left knee inflammation that added uncertainty to every outing.
Then the Dodgers handed him the ball against the Twins, and he responded by raising the volume. Literally. Ohtani left his mark on both sides of the ball, anchored by a fastball that averaged a career-high 100 mph.
After six innings, the numbers told the story: Ohtani’s final line was six innings, five hits, three runs (two earned), two walks and eight strikeouts on 89 pitches. When he finally turned things over to the bullpen, the Dodgers had their lead—and they held on to win 4-3, completing the sweep.
The game’s most difficult moment arrived in the bottom of the second. and it wasn’t just about the Twins’ hitters. It was about miscommunication early, with rookie catcher Dalton Rushing. After yielding a leadoff single to Victor Caratini. the inning swung on a pair of one-out singles and a passed ball that allowed Minnesota to tie the game. Then Ryan Kreidler ripped a two-run single, putting the Dodgers in an early 3-1 hole.
In the middle of that chaos, Ohtani explained what happened. “There were two pitches called,” he said through interpreter Will Ireton. “The first one was offspeed. The second pitch was a fastball. Rush thought that he was getting an offspeed because I started moving after the first pitch was called. but what I had in mind was the second pitch. which was a fastball.”.
Once the inning threatened to keep unraveling, the battery adjusted. Starting in the third, Ohtani took complete control of the pitch-calling duties.
The effect was immediate and unmistakable. In the bottom of the third, Ohtani struck out the side—Byron Buxton, Kody Clemens and Josh Bell. From there, he closed the night with four consecutive scoreless frames, retiring 13 of the final 15 batters he faced.
Ohtani described the decision as much about communication as it was about correcting the moment. “There’s really two ways of communicating … one is by words, but the other way to be able to communicate is by example,” he said. “… just taking the charge and showing Rush what kind of pitching style I’m capable of.”.
He also spoke about the bigger aim behind it: “In an ideal world, where I want to be is [in a place] for both of us to pitch in and really be able to shine because we have very different talents. That’s the goal I want to go towards.”
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts spent an extended period in the dugout talking with Rushing during the game. keeping the young catcher anchored through the rough stretch that has come with rookie growing pains on both sides of the ball. Roberts framed the shift in responsibilities as freeing, not humiliating.
“I don’t think it was a blow [to his ego],” Roberts said regarding Ohtani taking over the pitch calling. “I actually think it freed [Rushing] up. I think that if there’s ever any doubt. the pitcher always has the right of last refusal and can call his own game. So I think once we decided to do that, then it was pretty clean after that.”.
Roberts also acknowledged the emotional load Rushing has been carrying. “He wants to do really well and expects a lot of himself. … The last few games. he’s had a tough go of it and swinging through some fastballs. which is a strength of his. It’s a learning curve for everything. He’s still trying to find his way in the big leagues.”.
In the clubhouse after the win, Rushing didn’t soften his own assessment. He was visibly frustrated, and his reaction to his performance came out straight.
“I thought Shohei did a good job. I didn’t do a great job, start to finish. It was pretty embarrassing,” Rushing admitted. “Thankfully, he’s as good as he is and he could take control of a game. … It’s a pretty tough pill as well, both sides of the ball. It was not a great show. and it hasn’t been great as of late. and I’m gonna be better.”.
When he was asked if taking a back seat to Ohtani’s pitch calling helped him learn the veteran’s preferences, Rushing said, “Yeah, I got a better idea, and I’m gonna be better.”
Between the miscue in the second inning and the reset that followed in the third, the message was written into the innings themselves: once Ohtani began controlling the game, the Dodgers stopped giving away momentum.
The Dodgers now move toward recovery. They head into a much-needed team off-day Thursday before a weekend series against the Padres in San Diego.
For Rushing, the timing matters. “Every off-day is great,” he said. “Reset, forget about what’s happened this last month. And like I said, luckily, we’ve won baseball games. I just want to get back to doing my part.”
Shohei Ohtani Dalton Rushing Dodgers vs Twins Target Field 2026 season pitch calling right middle finger blister left knee inflammation Ryan Kreidler Victor Caratini Dave Roberts Byron Buxton Kody Clemens Josh Bell