The Dodgers were going for yet another sweep, and combined with the seven-game losing streak of the Mets, it seemed like a prime opportunity for a letdown of some sort. Fortunately, Shohei Ohtani was on the mound and he looked as good as ever despite his earned run streak ending, striking out 10. Things were slow early, but homers from Hyeseong Kim and Teoscar Hernandez provided enough to secure a lead throughout before Dalton Rushing and Kyle Tucker blew things open late for an 8-2 victory and series sweep on Jackie Robinson Day.
Thank you, Jackie. pic.twitter.com/zzxh5nUzsA
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) April 16, 2026
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The Mets sent another great starter to the mound in the form of Clay Holmes, and he too mostly lived up to the hype.
After working around a single in the 1st, he got the first two batters of the 2nd before giving up a double to Dalton Rushing. Hyeseong Kim then followed that by smashing his first homer of the season, making it 2-0 just like that out of seemingly nothing.
Hyeseong starts the game with a BANG! pic.twitter.com/F4xkYqmPNL
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) April 16, 2026
Holmes did settle in from there, not giving up another run over his final three innings, even though none of them were clean. That did run his pitch count up, which is why he was out after five.
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Of course, on the other end was Shohei Ohtani, this time focusing just on his pitching. Not sure if that was a factor in his outing or not, but he looked as sharp as he ever has in Dodger Blue.
He started by cruising through a 1-2-3 frame in the 1st, thanks in part to a great play by Andy Pages, and repeated the same formula in the 2nd.
Andy Pages on the slide to take away a hit! pic.twitter.com/bhivXIGIFO
— MLB (@MLB) April 16, 2026
After a one-out double in the 3rd that gave the Mets their first baserunner, he rebounded to strikeout the next two — including winning an 11-pitch battle with Francisco Lindor — and damage was avoided.
Sho ’em. ? pic.twitter.com/LzJBfommDe
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) April 16, 2026
The 4th resumed Ohtani’s dominance, as he got a clean frame on 12 pitches, including a strikeout on a nasty curve. He was spinning it today as well as I’ve ever seen.
ドジャース 大谷翔平
6個目の奪三振?80マイルのカーブで空振り三振?#Dodgers Ohtani Shohei ?ⓒESPN pic.twitter.com/hExGSxxU9r
— 【MLB速報】放送地区【大谷速報】 (@MLB_comment) April 16, 2026
The 5th was the problem inning, and he was both lucky and unlucky in it. Ohtani started things by issuing a walk to Francisco Alvarez, then seemed to give up a single to Carson Benge, but Alvarez got confused when Teoscar Hernandez short-hopped the ball in left and it resulted in Alvarez being forced out at second.
テオスカー・ヘルナンデスがファインプレー！
ライナーはキャッチできずも二塁に投げてフォースアウト！
Teoscar Hernández #Dodgers pic.twitter.com/7xSvwF0uKf
— 【MLB速報】放送地区【大谷速報】 (@MLB_comment) April 16, 2026
That proved key as Marcus Semien walked next to put a pair on, and then MJ Melendez hit his second double of the game to right that scored a run. It looked like Kyle Tucker got a bad read on it and should’ve had a chance, but the earned run streak was over, and the lead was down to 2-1 Dodgers.
ドジャース 大谷翔平
メレンデスがタイムリーヒット！エンタイトルツーベースで1点を返す大谷翔平選手、連続自責点０の記録が途絶える#Dodgers Ohtani Shohei ?ⓒESPN pic.twitter.com/uediVZEdyt
— 【MLB速報】放送地区【大谷速報】 (@MLB_comment) April 16, 2026
That really seemed to make Ohtani level up, as he struck out Tommy Pham on a 100 MPH fastball and then got Lindor to lineout to keep the lead intact.
ドジャース 大谷翔平
7個目の奪三振?100マイル直球で空振り三振?#Dodgers Ohtani Shohei ?ⓒESPN pic.twitter.com/LmEvE2fnYZ
— 【MLB速報】放送地区【大谷速報】 (@MLB_comment) April 16, 2026
Ohtani then came right back in the 6th and resumed dominance, striking out the side to give him double digit strikeouts on the night.
Shohei Ohtani strikes out the side in the 6th!
He’s got 10 Ks tonight ? pic.twitter.com/EJETkEGN6g
— MLB (@MLB) April 16, 2026
The line is impressive, but he honestly looked better than that: 6 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 2 BB, 10 K, 95 Pitches.
大谷翔平【奪三振ハイライト】
サイヤング賞へ向けて圧巻のピッチング?メッツ打線相手に6回2安打1失点10奪三振今季初の自責点を許すも直球、変化球を多彩に織り交ぜ二桁奪三振の投球を見せる！勝ち投手の権利を持って降板
6.0回95球2安打2四球10奪三振1失点
【シーズン成績】1勝0敗 防御率0.50… pic.twitter.com/GhoWhJezy5
— 【MLB速報】放送地区【大谷速報】 (@MLB_comment) April 16, 2026
Casual.
ドジャース 大谷翔平
投手ゴロを颯爽と一塁まで走る?#Dodgers Ohtani Shohei ?ⓒESPN pic.twitter.com/kD4wsxFkxP
— 【MLB速報】放送地区【大谷速報】 (@MLB_comment) April 16, 2026
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Anyway, the Dodgers again got to the Mets pen immediately.
Teoscar Hernandez led the 6th inning off with his fourth homer of the year to push things to 3-1.
Teoooooooo! pic.twitter.com/WYKdEW9CBe
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) April 16, 2026
They managed to keep the Dodgers down the rest of the 6th and then the 7th as well. However, things … well, they got blown up in the 8th.
Teoscar Hernandez started a rally by hustling out a routine grounder to Lindor for a single, then Max Muncy followed with a walk, and Andy Pages hit a ball that one-hopped the wall in right for a … single? Yeah, Teoscar … did his thing.
Andy Pages #Dodgers pic.twitter.com/hacKNYLpu0
— 【MLB速報】放送地区【大谷速報】 (@MLB_comment) April 16, 2026
No matter, as Dalton Rushing stayed hot, obliterating the first pitch he saw for a grand slam to blow the game open at 7-1.
FIRST CAREER GRAND SLAM FOR DALTON RUSHING! pic.twitter.com/N72dk4GzAq
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) April 16, 2026
They added another thanks to a Kyle Tucker homer, his second to make it 8-1 before the onslaught was over.
Kyle homer? Warren ’em down. pic.twitter.com/zoQc5fEhSw
— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) April 16, 2026
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For the Dodgers pen, they were fresh and had to cover just three innings.
They started things with Blake Treinen in the 7th, who continues to look rejuvenated. He did give up a one-out double, but continued to execute when it was necessary for a scoreless frame.
Tanner Scott followed in the 8th with another 1-2-3 frame from him thanks to a gem from Kim at short.
キム・ヘソン Hyeseong Kim
ナイスプレー！#ドジャース #キム・ヘソン #金慧成 pic.twitter.com/7TW4xfTqGG
— 【MLB速報】放送地区【大谷速報】 (@MLB_comment) April 16, 2026
The cushion then allowed them to get Kyle Hurt into the game in the 9th for his first MLB appearance in around two years, he issued a single and hit a batter with one out before giving up a two-out bloop single to make it 8-2. No worries, though, he managed to secure the victory in the end.
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14-4, pretty absurd.
The Dodgers will now have a day off tomorrow and then will travel to Colorado for a four-game series against the Rockies. Horrifying. It will start at 2:40 PM HT/5:40 PM PT/8:40 PM ET with Tyler Glasnow on the bump against Ryan Feltner.
