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Ohtani battles injury, Dodgers edge Rays 5-4

6/18/2026

28 5 Full Breakdown

Summary

Ohtani Takes Loss

Shohei Ohtani allowed four runs in the fifth inning as the Dodgers beat the Rays 5-4.
He pitched through a bloody blister on his right middle finger and knee soreness.
His ERA rose to 1.47, the second-lowest among pitchers with at least 50 innings.
Two poor starts dropped his Cy Young odds behind Jacob Misiorowski (1.34 ERA) and Cristopher Sánchez (1.82 ERA).

Summary

Dodgers Sweep

The Dodgers' win completed their second sweep of the Rays, the first since August 2013.
Tommy Edman debuted after nearly three months out following offseason ankle surgery.
Roki Sasaki (3-4, 4.76 ERA) will start Friday versus the Orioles after Thursday’s off day.
Shane McClanahan returns for Tampa Bay after missing the 2024 and 2025 seasons with injuries.

History

Historical Context

On October 19, 2004, Curt Schilling pitched Game 6 of the ALCS for the Boston Red Sox with a sutured ankle, his sock soaked in blood. His seven-inning, one-run effort gave Boston a 4–2 win, forcing the first Game 7 after the team trailed the New York Yankees 3–0. The comeback ended the “Curse of the Bambino” and changed how teams handle injured pitchers.

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Ohtani Takes Loss

Shohei Ohtani allowed four runs in the fifth inning as the Dodgers beat the Rays 5-4.
He pitched through a bloody blister on his right middle finger and knee soreness.
His ERA rose to 1.47, the second-lowest among pitchers with at least 50 innings.
Two poor starts dropped his Cy Young odds behind Jacob Misiorowski (1.34 ERA) and Cristopher Sánchez (1.82 ERA).

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