Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani set for start vs. slumping Royals

While it remains to be seen how long Shohei Ohtani will go in his third start on the mound of 2025, the Los Angeles Dodgers will look to send the reeling Kansas City Royals to a historic low point in home futility.

The two-way superstar hopes to lead the Dodgers to a sixth straight win on Saturday and hand the Royals a club-worst 12th consecutive home loss.

Ohtani (0-0, 4.50 ERA) has pitched one inning in each of his two starts while working his way back from elbow surgery that halted the mound portion of his career. After yielding a run and two hits against San Diego on June 16, the right-hander struck out two of the four batters he faced during a scoreless frame versus Washington on Sunday.

The question remains when manager Dave Roberts feel it's the right time to stretch things out for Ohtani.

"I think we're always gonna be cautious," Roberts said. "So, I don't even know what that's going to look like, to be ‘fully built-up.'"

"It's not a normal starting pitcher."

Ohtani, who clubbed his 29th homer and added a game-tying triple in Friday's 5-4 series-opening win, has been exceptional against the Royals. He is 2-0 with a 0.47 ERA in three career starts - all coming with the Los Angeles Angels. In his last two versus Kansas City, Ohtani allowed four hits, three walks and fanned 24 over 15 scoreless innings.

He now faces a Royals club that is on the verge of the franchise's longest losing streak at Kauffman Stadium. Kansas City, which last won at home 1-0 over Detroit on May 31, has totaled eight runs while losing six straight overall.

On Friday, the Royals outhit the Dodgers 11-4 but stranded 11 men on base.

"None of what is going on is anything other than us," Kansas City's Vinnie Pasquantino said.

"There is a recipe for success in there somewhere. We just haven't done it."

Kansas City's Bobby Witt Jr. clubbed a two-run homer on Friday. Witt, though, is 0-for-6 with five strikeouts against Ohtani.

Ohtani, who has homered four times in the last five games, is hitless in six career at-bats versus Royals scheduled starter Seth Lugo (4-5, 2.93).

The veteran right-hander has been solid in June, going 1-0 with a 1.57 ERA in four starts this month. However, the Royals are 1-3 and totaled 10 runs in those games.

During Sunday's no-decision at San Diego, Lugo allowed one run and two hits while striking out seven without a walk over 6 1/3 innings for his second straight quality start. In his only start against the Dodgers as a member of the Royals, Lugo yielded two runs and six hits over six innings of a 7-2 win at Los Angeles last year.

Mookie Betts, who delivered a tiebreaking RBI single in the fifth inning Friday, is 3-for-7 with a homer versus Lugo. Betts is 11-for-22 with seven RBIs in his last six games at Kansas City.

--Field Level Media