Shohei Ohtani hit his 30th home run of the season to give the Los Angeles Dodgers a 3-1 lead in the top of the third inning against the Colorado Rockies on Tuesday, Aug. 18, in Denver. Ohtani sent the ball into the Dodgers' bullpen for a two-run blast, breaking a 1-1 tie.
Shohei with homer No. 30! pic.twitter.com/BIAfBptrIF — Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) August 19, 2026 He also extended a now-22-game hit streak at Coors Field. He's hit 10 home runs with 26 RBIs during that streak. The 30-homer milestone adds to his case in the National League MVP race with Pete Crow-Armstrong of the Chicago Cubs. Crow-Armstrong hit two home runs on Monday to reach 30 home runs on the season. NL MVP odds: How do Shohei Ohtani and Pete Crow-Armstrong compare? When will Shohei Ohtani pitch? Ohtani also took a step forward Tuesday in his attempt to get back on the mound for the Dodgers this season. The two-way star threw another bullpen session on Tuesday, according to Jack Harris of the California Post. Ohtani threw 35 pitches. There's a chance that he may begin facing live hitters during batting practice soon. He hasn’t pitched in an MLB game since July 3, unable to take the mound due to knee inflammation. The Dodgers are hopeful he can return to the rotation in September and be ready for a postseason run. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani hits 30th home run, throws another bullpen session