In a season defined by his unprecedented two-way dominance, Shohei Ohtani offered a moment of striking honesty after the Dodgers' 2-1 loss to the Houston Astros on Tuesday night at Daikin Park. The superstar pitcher, who worked seven innings for the first time this season, surrendered only four hits and struck out eight without issuing a walk—yet two costly home runs were enough to hand him the loss and drop his record to 2-2.

"The balls that were hit well went for home runs," Ohtani said through interpreter John E. Gibson, whose "Straight Talk" feature provides full translations of media availability with the Dodgers' Japanese stars. "Other than those pitches, things were good. But they were both mistakes that led to runs."

The outing was a microcosm of Ohtani's recent struggles at the plate, which have led the Dodgers to use him exclusively as a pitcher for now. His ERA remains an elite 0.98, but the two-way sensation admitted his cold bat has changed the team's calculus.

"I feel like if I were hitting better, it would be a situation in which they would want me to hit," Ohtani said. "If there was a situation where I was hitting well, I'm sure the team would want me to pitch and hit as well. I understand in this situation where I just focus on the pitching, turn the page on hitting. I understand that the team might think like that."

When asked about the two home runs he allowed, Ohtani was brutally honest about his execution. "Both were opposite of where I was trying to go," he said. "It was a matter of skill."

For a player who has redefined what's possible in baseball, this temporary shift to a pitching-only role underscores how even the game's most unique talent must adapt. As Ohtani continues to work through his hitting slump, Dodgers fans can take comfort in knowing his arm remains as electric as ever—and that his legendary work ethic will eventually have him back in the batter's box.