Shohei Ohtani's (大谷翔平) 1st Dodgers walk-off, Astros worry meter & revisiting World Series picks

Ben Verlander and Alex Curry bring you everything you need to know about the Los Angeles Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani in 'This Week In Shohei Ohtani News' including Ohtani’s first walk-off hit in Dodgers blue. Ben and Alex also revisit and give a confidence rating for all of their AL and NL preseason awards as well as their World Series picks. Ben and Alex also provide an update on the 2026 World Baseball Classic, break down Bryce Harper’s promposal assist & more.
#FlippinBats #MLB #ShoheiOhtani
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Shohei Ohtani's (大谷翔平) 1st Dodgers walk-off, Astros worry meter & revisiting World Series picks
• Shohei Ohtani's (大谷翔平)...

[@FlippinBatsPod]

What is your World Series matchup prediction?

[@Michael-kf7gm]

Astros vs. Phillies

[@yateswebb]

Braves v nyy

[@AnthonyMartinezmartinez2]

Astros vs Phillies

[@allaboutyou444]

Phillies Vs Yankees

[@mintdigggity]

Phillies vs Guardians

[@montegter04]

people like him make your feelings of Ohtani turns from love to hate

[@matthewsnyder66]

When it comes to the Astros, Ben Verlander is wearing "I rep my big brother" Justin Verlander goggles. lol

[@mirikaku5811]

On May 22, Dodgers signed as of end May from 10+ Japanese sponsor and advertising deals of multiple years value was published in Japan as approximately US 532MM. (Not including merch sales, tourism revenues, ticket sales, food, etc.. ) By end of the season, Dodgers will have reached Shohei’s entire 700M (10 year salary) 😅

[@ezboy777]

On Friday May 24th Imanaga of the cubs will face cardinals Mikolas. apparently this isn't the first time they meet. They played against each other in 2016. Twice that year. Mikolas won one game with the Tokyo Giants and the other game the win and loss went to other pitchers. Looking forward to Imanaga's matchup against Mikolas! I wonder how they feel? They know each other from the Japanese League! Can you keep us informed if they greet each other at the St. Louis baseball stadium?

[@kitramseysbrother]

Last i checked the Astros had the same amount of wins as the Phillies did at the same time last season. How did they do? Astros are a better team when pitching is healthy.

[@robertl4270]

Not to even mention Gunnar Henderson in the AL MVP race is a joke. Dude is playing Platinum Glove defense, 2nd in baseball in HR and has 35 RBI from the LEADOFF position with a .953 OPS.

[@elijahsmith4359]

It seems this year that the AL Central and AL West just decided to flip flop and be each other this season. In previous years 2-3 teams in the AL west jump out in front of everyone and it’s a race, meanwhile the central teams all had around the same record and no one ran away with it. Complete opposite of what those two divisions normally look like

[@matthewsnyder66]

Based on Alex's generous and compassionate grading system, she would make a fantastic mom to human-based children (rather than her pet-children).

[@ttman1233]

I, like many others, wonders if Shohei can maintain this level of hitting, and then pitch next year. But, as others have said, 'If anyone can do it, Shohei can.'

[@carterboy19]

It's absolutely astonishing they didn't bring up Ranger Suarez, who is 9-0 with a 1.36 era!!! How can you have his teammate ahead if him? This is called not doing your homework.

[@Michael-kf7gm]

Y’all should just go ahead and change the name of the podcast: BEN VERLANDER FLIPS OHTANI’S BAT.

[@yateswebb]

Flip, tug, pull… lotta words you could sub in there

[@Michael-kf7gm]

@@yateswebb Lol, yea that had crossed my mind! Haha 😂

[@adamo80nine]

Lmaoo

[@d4ngerd4d]

Yeah. Kinda tired of hearing about Ohtani every single episode. He's real good. We get it. Obviously you're going to be talking about him, but does he need his own dedicated segment EVERY EPISODE?

[@Michael-kf7gm]

@@BobbyU808 Yea bro, we know Ben is a fan boy. It’s his fan boy segment that many people can’t stand. All it does is grow anti-Ohtani sentiment amongst fans of other teams. @d4ngerd4d’s criticism is accurate and valid. Ohtani gets praised for doing things that literally other players have done too. It’s ridiculous.

[@robg915]

Astros are too good to not make the playoffs for an 8th straight year. Unlike the one hit wonder Rangers.

[@Michael-kf7gm]

Can’t stand the South Oklahoma Rangers.

[@AnthonyMartinezmartinez2]

The Astros own the rangers.

[@Elephant2024-wi2li]

Still believe the Rays will ultimately get it together. They should be getting a couple of their injured pitchers back and AAA help on the way. They are going to need a streak though. 13 in a row like the start of last season may be too much to hope for. But a 15-5 or 20-10 stretch is within the realm of possibility. The division is rough, but as the Diamondbacks proved last year, just get in the post-season and take it from there.

[@harmonydavis6784]

I love Skubal!

[@bentrademark]

If Alex thinks the Astros will get in as a Wild Card, then it shouldn’t matter if their division stinks. Winning the division would theoretically be the easier way to get in since there’s several other AL teams with excellent records

[@ronaldparra4828]

NL Cy Young should be between Imanaga and Ranger Suarez.

[@theirishman6825]

Fan gets hit in head, Topps makes her a card. In other news, Topps has added a new Brain Damage Refractor to their Chrome lineups!

[@MarinersBasebaII]

This was the funniest episode ever!

[@adamo80nine]

They couldn't pick a better ball park than Houston?

[@Gunnar2070]

Phillies have had an easy schedule though, I doubt it will last

[@carterboy19]

Braves are 9-8 and phillies are 12-2 against the same team. It's definitely gonna last. Every single baseball person is laughing at the lazy notion they haven't played anybody.

[@guillermo_ventura]

Alex is making up excuses LOL hahahaha she sounds worried typical mainstream media reaction to Houston Sports

[@neogeo4528]

Alex has the big girl laugh.

[@bentrademark]

Alex HATES the Astros🤣🤣🤣

[@harmonydavis6784]

Ben Verlander hates the Dodgers so it works

[@matthewsnyder66]

You mean the Cheatros? Lol. Alex is an open fan of the Dodgers, of course, she loves skewering Ben over his simping for his brother's trashy team. Go Dodgers!

[@ryanrodriguez8918]

It's the Verlander jinx...he picked the Braves last year and they didn't make it. It's the Phillies turn now 😂😂

[@Iolo3]

I don't think Mookie will remain SS for full season and this will will def factor in on this MVP factor. His defence and offence has also taken a hit since this btw

[@Pokai-qy8gg]

They had a great chance last year..

[@kbutler0615]

Fire this girl already Ben

[@harmonydavis6784]

My thing with Otahni day is... What about a Kershaw day? Kershaw has done way more for the team and city then Otahni has so far.... I like Otahni... But Kershaw should have a day

[@ZBatt1]

Dodgers always choke, not picking them out of the second round

[@matthewsnyder66]

But one year they won't. They've choked so often they they are due. They did win in 2020 and if everyone thinks that "doesn't count" why didn't their team win that year. The playoffs were actually much more extensive that year.

[@RealJeffTidwell]

I believe in the Astros, but Tucker is due for at least a mini-slump. No worries, Yordan will step up

[@Michael-kf7gm]

Tucker has 4 more home runs than Ohtani. Ohtani is merely mid. I am glad Ohtani is running more. He needs to burn off calories. He’s looking a little bloated.

[@zrpggamer]

Ben you should watch baseball anime, and do a reaction/review to it. Especially in the off season

[@morningcalmrisingsun]

Don't forget Shohei was already in LA for awhile.

[@pitsmcgoo]

Yankees Vs Dodgers Dodgers win in 5

[@Michael-kf7gm]

Why on earth is the thumbnail of Ohtani and his walk off? You realize that several players had walk offs this year before Ohtani and you didn’t make a big deal out of them?! What makes Ohtani’s so special? If he’s the goat, why didn’t he get one sooner? And who cares other than Dodger’s fans? Just to name a few, these other players had walk offs: Tyler O’Neill, Andy Pages, Thayron Liranzo, Jeremy Pena, Nico Hoerner, Nick Gonzales, Josh Bell, Adley Rutschman, etc.

[@LinktheSamoyed]

I case you haven't seen this show before, he has a whole segment dedicated to Ohtani that pulls in viewers, including me, so any significant accomplishments are gonna get headlined

[@Michael-kf7gm]

@@LinktheSamoyed You do realize that it’s NOT a significant accomplishment if literally dozens of other players have already achieved it first, right?

[@yateswebb]

This is a dodgers/astros podcast. Not a baseball podcast. If he wanted us to take it seriously, he’d drop the bias. Click bait gets these hosts paid

[@Iolo3]

You must have been living in a cave for the past 5yrs or something? Ben has always been one of Ohtani's biggest fans since Angels days and this show has always done this kind of thing when Ohtani is not in some slump

[@Michael-kf7gm]

@@yateswebb Yea, that’s fair. You’d think a podcast that’s funded by Fox Sports would realize that you’d garner more viewers if you featured more than 2 teams.

[@user-ll5si8uh4r]

Yankees and Dodgers are not 2 best teams