The Los Angeles Dodgers were victorious against the Cincinnati Reds on Tuesday, but the spotlight quickly shifted from the scoreboard to Shohei Ohtani’s expression after one of the most surprising moments of the season. In a 5-4 win at Great American Ball Park, the Dodgers slugger struck out four times—an unprecedented moment in his career—and his stunned facial reaction to one filthy strikeout instantly became a viral phenomenon.

The Ohtani strikeout moment came courtesy of Reds starter Nick Lodolo, who fanned the designated hitter three times. One particular at-bat sent social media into a frenzy. After swinging through a vicious breaking ball, Ohtani froze at the plate with wide eyes and an open mouth, clearly stunned by what he had just missed.

The Talkin’ Baseball podcast captured the moment on X (formerly known as Twitter) with the caption that summed it up perfectly.

“Nick Lodolo had Shohei seeing ghosts”

That post quickly racked up over 46,000 views and sparked hundreds of memes, jokes, and fan reactions. The viral moment reminded fans that even MVP-caliber players are human.

Headed into the game, Ohtani boasted dominant 2025 numbers with a .273 batting average, 38 home runs, and 73 RBIs. His four-strikeout performance was not only rare—it marked the first such game of his career—making the shocked reaction even more noteworthy. Lodolo, meanwhile, finished with 10 strikeouts, drawing praise across social media for his dominant outing.

Despite the Japanese superstar’s tough night at the plate, the Dodgers rallied late. A clutch two-run homer by Tommy Edman in the seventh inning gave Los Angeles the lead. The Reds had jumped ahead with early home runs from Jake Fraley and Noelvi Marte, but Cincinnati’s bullpen faltered in the late innings.

The Lodolo vs. Ohtani matchup became the highlight of the night. The Dodgers phenom finished 0-for-5 with an uncharacteristic four strikeouts, while Lodolo’s stuff drew praise for its movement and deception. The southpaw’s dominant outing delivered fans a viral moment and a rare bit of levity during a tense divisional stretch.

With the win, the club moved to 63-45, maintaining a 4.5-game lead over the San Diego Padres in the National League West. Despite a 10-13 record this June, the team remains in control of the division and looks poised for another postseason run.

What made the moment stick wasn’t just the numbers—it was the expression. The reactions to Ohtani’s stunned face reflect the universal feeling of being humbled, even for the best. Fans connected instantly, and in the world of baseball where every stat is scrutinized, it was his facial reaction that stole the show.