The Los Angeles Dodgers secured the first 50 wins of the 2026 MLB season on June 22 with a 2-1 victory over the Minnesota Twins, fueled by Shohei Ohtani’s leadoff solo home run in the first inning. That homer was Ohtani’s 17th of the season, his 30th career leadoff home run, and his 297th career major league homer—just three shy of 300 [1, 2, 3, 4].
Dodgers outfielder Freddie Freeman also contributed a key go-ahead home run in the tight game, helping cement the win [1, 2, 3, 4]. The team had been recovering from a recent losing streak and continues to show strong overall performance this season [5, 2, 3].
On June 24, the Dodgers won again against the Twins in a blowout 12-3 game with a total of 17 hits. Ohtani went 0-for-3 at the plate but delivered an RBI sac fly in the fourth inning that accounted for a critical run. He was walked once and struck out twice, lowering his batting average to approximately .293. Manager Dave Roberts praised the batting effort, saying, “Every hitter felt present at the plate tonight. Their approach showed intent, especially after two strikes.” Ohtani was removed from the game before his last at bat but was slated to start as both pitcher and designated hitter in the final series game that day [5, 6, 7, 8].
Dodgers starting pitcher Justin Wrobleski earned his 9th win on June 23 with 7 innings pitched allowing 2 runs, although the Dodgers lost that game [5].
The Twins faced injury setbacks as well, with outfielder Kyle Tucker leaving due to back spasms. The Dodgers’ catching corps was also hit by injuries, as catcher Dalton Rushing exited June 24’s game and others were already on the injured list [2, 3, 4].
Ohtani, known for his rare two-way capability as pitcher and hitter, currently leads the National League All-Star Game ballot for designated hitter with over 2.31 million votes. His pitching record this year stands at 7-2 with a 1.47 ERA across about 73.2 innings pitched. Despite recent struggles with a knee and finger blister, Roberts confirmed Ohtani would continue his unique dual role as of June 24: “Tomorrow, Ohtani will start as a two-way player.” [3, 4, 7, 8]
Broadcasters continue to praise Ohtani’s unprecedented impact. Joe Davis called it “a once-in-a-lifetime occurrence we may never see again.” Analyst Eric Karros remarked that Ohtani’s choice to remain in Japan after high school demonstrated his commitment to mastering two-way play [9].
Ohtani also recently became a father for the second time in early June 2026, adding a personal milestone amid his professional success [10, 7, 8].
The Dodgers will next face the Twins in the final game of the series on June 24, with Ohtani scheduled to start as both pitcher and designated hitter once again [7, 8].
