Shohei Ohtani already thriving in leadoff spot for Dodgers

Kyle Madson

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Shohei Ohtani already thriving in leadoff spot for Dodgers image

The Dodgers have to figure out a way to replace Mookie Betts in the leadoff spot of their lineup. There are worse options to have than Shohei Ohtani, who for the second time as a Dodger stepped to the plate as the leadoff man Monday night at Coors Field. 

Ohtani worked a 2-2 count and smoked a hard ground ball for an out to start the game. His second AB resulted in an RBI single on a 3-2 pitch. It was another scalding ground ball, this time through the hole between first and second to score Miguel Rojas from third. 

That RBI knock by Ohtani gave him 47 for the season and put LA up 2-0. It was also his first hit out of the leadoff spot this season. They went up 3-0 just five pitches later when catcher Will Smith smashed his first triple of the season to score Ohtani from first.

 LA would surely love to have Betts back sooner than later, but Ohtani is acquitting himself well in the leadoff spot early on.

Kyle Madson

Kyle Madson Photo

Kyle Madson neither likes writing about himself nor writing in the third person. Nevertheless, he persists. While Kyle has spent most of his writing career covering the NFL’s Tennessee Titans and San Francisco 49ers, he’s never lost the love of baseball that has resided in the deepest recesses of his soul since he began playing T-ball at 4 years old (no matter how hard John Fisher has tried). Aside from writing, Kyle also hosts a radio show, the Insiders, with James Ham on ESPN 1320 in Sacramento. When he’s not being a sports dork, Kyle loves being a normal dork and traveling, visiting museums, diving further into K-Pop fandom (#SKZ) and hanging out with his wife and cats. Don’t follow him on Twitter or Instagram at @KyleAMadson.