"I don't remember him being this good in Anaheim" - Clayton Kershaw amazed by Shohei Ohtani's 'unbelievable' Dodgers start

Great things were expected from Shohei Ohtani when the Los Angeles Dodgers signed the Japanese superstar, and the two-way phenom has lived up to his name. Veteran pitcher Clayton Kershaw's reaction to Ohtani's early career with the Blues has further reiterated the two-time MVP's impact.

Ohtani dispatched his fourth home run in three games, his 11th of the season, as the Dodgers eased past the Miami Marlins on Monday with a final score of 6-3 at home. Currently recovering from shoulder surgery, Kershaw reflected on Ohtani's 'unbelievable' strength and compared his early Dodgers career with the Los Angeles Angels stint.

"I don't remember him being even this good in Anaheim," Kershaw said during the game. "You watch the highlights but I don't remember him being on this kind of tear, this is unbelievable.

"Every ball he hits, he is just so strong, I don't get it, I don't think anybody gets how he does it. It's just amazing."

Ohtani made his MLB debut with the Halos in 2018 and represented the team for six years, racking up several accolades, including two AL MVP titles. He made the switch to rival Dodgers after opting for free agency in 2023.

Kershaw is one of many to be amazed by the two-time AL MVP. Ohtani's strength is evident from the fact that the Japanese star struck the hardest-hit ball the season on April 28, recording a 119.2 mph exit velocity in the Dodgers' 4-2 win over the Toronto Blue Jays. It was also the hardest-hit ball of Ohtani's storied MLB career.

Shohei Ohtani extends Dodgers' winning streak on Walker Buehler's return

Shohei Ohtani extended his home-run streak to three games when he decimated Roddery Munoz's fastball for a two-run 441-foot moonshot to draw the Dodgers level in the bottom first.

Courtesy of the homer, Ohtani now leads the charts for home runs (11) this season, leapfrogging his former Angels teammate Mike Trout (10) in second place.

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts hailed Ohtani, saying:

“All the balls that he’s driving are in his nitro zone. If they don’t throw it there, he takes his base. And if they do, he’s ready to fire."

While Ohtani's home run was one of the game's highlights, Dodgers fans were thrilled to welcome back starting pitcher Walker Buehler. Buehler made his first start for the Dodgers in nearly two years and pitched four innings, allowing three runs and six hits while recording four strikeouts from the mound.

Following his first start this season, Buehler said something about Ohtani the Dodgers fans have been saying all season long:

“He’s the best player ever.”

Roberts' team is now on a five-game winning run and will hope to extend it when they host the Miami Marlins for a second game on Tuesday, with the series on the line.