Ohtani and Hernández Make Dodgers History as Rare Two-Way Duo
On June 24, 2025, Shohei Ohtani took the mound for the second time this season, throwing 18 pitches over a single inning in the Los Angeles Dodgers's 13-7 win over the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park in Washington, D.C. — and in doing so, he became the second player in the franchise’s 142-year history to hit 10+ home runs while making at least two pitching appearances in the same season. Joining Enrique "Kiké" Hernández, Ohtani didn’t just break a record. He cemented a bizarre, beautiful, and utterly modern chapter in baseball lore — one where the line between pitcher and hitter blurs, not by accident, but by design.
The Unlikely Duo
It’s hard to overstate how strange this is. For over a century, baseball has treated pitching and hitting as separate disciplines. Even the great Babe Ruth, who began as a dominant left-handed pitcher, eventually gave up the mound entirely. But here in 2025, the Dodgers have two players — one a generational two-way talent, the other a utility infielder with a cannon arm — doing something no one else in franchise history has even come close to.
For Hernández, this isn’t new. In 2024, he hit exactly 12 home runs while making four relief appearances, pitching a total of 8.1 innings with a 5.40 ERA. This season, he’s already made five mound outings — and as of June 24, he was just three homers shy of matching his own feat. He’s not a pitcher by trade. He’s a switch-hitting, multi-position utility man who signed a three-year, $21 million deal in December 2022. But under manager Dave Roberts, he’s become the ultimate bullpen insurance policy — a guy you bring in when you’re up by eight runs in the eighth inning and need to save your best relievers for the next day.
Ohtani? He’s different. The 30-year-old Japanese superstar, who signed a record-breaking 10-year, $700 million contract in December 2023, was built for this. He’s not a backup plan. He’s the main event. His June 24 outing was an opener role — 18 pitches, one wild pitch, no hits, two strikeouts, and a top velocity of 98.8 mph. The only blemish? A pop-up behind the mound by Mookie Betts that let the Nationals’ only baserunner reach. Even that felt like a footnote.
Why This Matters
The Dodgers’ front office, led by president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman, has long been known for its data-driven, unconventional thinking. This isn’t just quirky — it’s strategic. With bullpen arms stretched thin across 162 games, using position players like Hernández to soak up innings in blowouts isn’t a gimmick. It’s a survival tactic. And with Ohtani still rebuilding arm strength after injury, giving him low-stress, high-impact outings helps manage his workload without sacrificing his presence on the mound.
MLB.com’s Sarah Langs, who’s been the league’s go-to stats analyst since 2016, confirmed it: no other Dodger — not even Sandy Koufax or Don Drysdale — has ever hit double-digit homers in a season while pitching more than once. And now, for the first time ever, two players on the same team have done it in consecutive seasons.
The Bigger Picture
This isn’t just about the Dodgers. It’s about the evolution of baseball itself. The game is becoming more specialized — pitchers rarely bat, and position players rarely throw. But the Dodgers are flipping that script. They’re using analytics not to limit roles, but to expand them. Hernández’s five appearances this season have saved the team’s core relievers from overuse. Ohtani’s outings? They keep his arm loose and his bat hot, while giving fans something they’ve never seen before: a true two-way force, doing it all.
And here’s the twist: Hernández pitched again the very next day — in another blowout. He threw 1.2 innings, allowed one run, and struck out two. Meanwhile, Ohtani went 2-for-5 at the plate with a home run. He’s now at 11 homers on the season. The milestone is official. The history is written.
What’s Next?
Will Hernández become the first player to hit 10+ homers and pitch in multiple games in two consecutive seasons? He’s got a real shot. He needs three more homers in 30+ games — a tough but not impossible task for a player who’s already hit 12 in a season. As for Ohtani? He’s expected to make two to three more starts before the All-Star break, and his power numbers are trending upward. If he hits 25+ home runs and pitches 5+ times this year, he’ll be the first player since Ruth to do both at an elite level — and the first ever to do it while carrying a $700 million contract.
The Dodgers aren’t just winning games. They’re rewriting the rulebook. And for fans, it’s a rare kind of entertainment — part science, part spectacle, and entirely unforgettable.
Frequently Asked Questions
How rare is it for a player to hit 10+ home runs and pitch multiple times in the same MLB season?
Extremely rare. Since 1900, only two players in MLB history have hit 10+ homers and pitched in at least two games in the same season: Shohei Ohtani and Enrique Hernández — and both are currently on the Los Angeles Dodgers. No other player in the last 125 years has accomplished this, even during the dead-ball era when pitchers batted more often.
Why do the Dodgers use Enrique Hernández as a pitcher?
Manager Dave Roberts deploys Hernández in high-leverage blowouts to preserve the bullpen’s core arms. Hernández has a strong arm, decent mechanics, and the mental toughness to handle pressure situations. He’s pitched 13.1 innings over nine appearances (2024–2025) with a 5.40 ERA, saving the team from overworking relievers during non-competitive games.
Has any other player in baseball history matched Ohtani’s two-way production?
Babe Ruth is the only other player who came close — he was a 23-game-winning pitcher before transitioning to a full-time hitter. But Ruth never hit 10+ home runs in a season while also pitching in multiple games that same year. Ohtani is the first modern player to do both at an elite, sustained level.
What’s the significance of Ohtani’s 98.8 mph fastball in his June 24 outing?
That velocity is a strong indicator that Ohtani’s arm is recovering well after injury. Pitchers often lose velocity early in their return; hitting 98.8 mph in a low-stress, one-inning outing suggests he’s not just back — he’s regaining elite form. It also signals he may be cleared for longer starts later in the season.
Could Hernández become the first player to hit 10+ homers and pitch in multiple games in two straight seasons?
Yes. As of June 24, 2025, he had 7 home runs and five pitching appearances. With 30+ games left, he needs just three more homers — a realistic goal given his 2024 pace and current form. If he does, he’ll be the first in MLB history to accomplish that feat in consecutive seasons.
How has Andrew Friedman’s front office influenced this strategy?
Since joining the Dodgers in 2015, Friedman has prioritized roster flexibility and data-driven decisions. Using position players as emergency pitchers is part of a broader philosophy: optimize every player’s utility. This approach has saved the Dodgers millions in bullpen fatigue and injury risk, turning role players into strategic assets.
