Shohei Ohtani steps into the batter’s box like a headline waiting to happen. But on a night when Dodger Stadium swelled with anticipation, it wasn’t the $700 million superstar dictating the drama. It was Griffin Canning, a former teammate turned calculated disruptor, who flipped the script. The Dodgers watched. Ohtani swung. And Canning? He grinned because he knew something the rest of us didn’t.Not many pitchers know how to get rid of Shohei Ohtani. And when you have a person who can do that, it is a huge advantage. The New York Mets have a weapon like that, which they used to lead the series against the Los Angeles Dodgers. Griffin Canning, who was Ohtani’s teammate at the LA Angels, has revealed the full details on how pitchers can have an advantage over the star slugger.In a recent interview, Griffin Canning talked about the series against the Dodgers and how they managed to keep Ohtani silent. “I don’t want to give in. He put a good swing on a fastball earlier in the game… just kind of showed him something different with the change-up 3-2.” Canning pointed out that every time you face Shohei Ohtani, the key is to keep mixing your pitches. And for Canning, it worked to perfection.Shohei Ohtani is slicing through 2025 like a buzz saw, firmly in MVP form once again. His league-wide slash line of .292/.388/.650 screams dominance. But against the New York Mets, he’s been more decaf than dynamite. In the 11 at-bats, Ohtani has just 3 hits with just 2 RBIs and 1 homer. The Mets haven’t just pitched to him; they’ve picked him apart.Their secret? Deception, not domination. Like Griffin Canning, Mets’ arms have starved Ohtani of fastballs and feasted on unpredictability. Tylor Megill and Paul Blackburn spun breaking balls like yarn, baiting him into silence. Even his two home runs were solo shots—more sizzle than steak.Well, Canning cracked the Ohtani code with a gutsy 3-2 change-up on Wednesday. That pitch wasn’t just a strike; it was a statement. Around the league, pitchers with similar arsenals—Erik Miller, Eduardo Rodriguez—are echoing the blueprint. Against cunning, crafty arms, Ohtani’s thunder sometimes sounds like a soft tap.Turns out, the best way to silence a $700 million bat isn’t power—it’s precision with a poker face. Shohei Ohtani may be a one-man highlight reel, but pitchers like Griffin Canning are rewriting the script with off-speed pitches. The Mets didn’t just survive Ohtani—they studied him, outfoxed him, and sent him back to the dugout humming Michael Bublé. MVPs make headlines, but sometimes, the real stars throw change-ups at full count.Are the Dodgers making a mistake by using Shohei Ohtani as a leadoff hitter?They say even a Ferrari can be wasted in traffic—so why are the Dodgers cruising Shohei Ohtani in first gear? With Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman revving behind him, LA insists on rolling out its most dangerous weapon to start the inning with no one to drive in. It’s bold. It’s modern. But it might also be baseball’s most glamorous case of self-sabotage.The Dodgers might be underutilizing Shohei Ohtani by sticking him in the leadoff spot. With Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman behind him, Ohtani’s immense power seems wasted when he often bats with empty bases. As Brian Kenny pointed out, “They are leaving runs on the table,” since Ohtani hits too many solo home runs. In 2025, his batting average with runners in scoring position (RISP) was a modest .222, showing room for improvement when given RBI chances.Ohtani clearly thrives with runners on base, proving more clutch than early-season stats suggested. From late 2024 into the postseason, he went 16-for-19 with RISP—a historic hot streak unmatched since Frank Howard’s 1962 Dodgers run. Hall of Famer Derek Jeter urged, “Bunt, steal, whatever it takes to get Shohei to the plate with runners in scoring position.” The Dodgers’ recent bunting strategy in the postseason shows they finally get it, adding stress for opposing pitchers.Despite manager Dave Roberts’ refusal to move Ohtani down the lineup, the numbers argue otherwise. Ohtani’s .516 average with RISP late last season highlights his ability to drive in runs when given the chance. Roberts admitted, “We have to get guys on base so he can hit,” underscoring that situational hitting matters. The Dodgers may need to rethink their lineup to maximize Ohtani’s unique offensive value in 2024 and 2025.If the Dodgers want to turn base runners into guaranteed runs, they’ll have to shift gears with Ohtani. Keeping him leadoff is like parking a rocket in a slow lane—spectacular but inefficient. As Roberts said, “We have to get guys on base so he can hit,” yet the lineup seems stuck in neutral. So, it’s time for LA to stop playing traffic cop and let their superstar blaze the path where he truly excels. Otherwise, the best hitter on the team might keep scoring solo victories—glorious but lonely.The post Ex-Teammate Turned Rival Griffin Canning Reveals Secret Sauce to Neutralize Shohei Ohtani appeared first on EssentiallySports.