It was only six weeks ago, on July 3, that the Los Angeles Dodgers held a nine-game lead in the National League West, with their 12th division title in 13 years seen as a foregone conclusion. They have since won only 12 of 33 games.

Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani honestly shared his thoughts on Los Angeles losing its grip on the No. 1 spot in the NL West standings.

Shohei Ohtani’s return to the mound at Angel Stadium wasn’t just another start on the calendar — it was a collision of past and present, played out under the familiar orange glow of a Southern California summer night.