It sounds like the Dodgers are struggling despite their incredibly talented roster. An 8-0 record is always a great sign for a start, but then losing three consecutive games, especially with a $400 million payroll, raises some concerns. The main issue is their much-hyped offense. With a star-studded lineup and a massive payroll, expectations were sky-high. However, if the bats aren’t producing, the pitching staff, even if it’s strong, cannot help. Take Shohei Ohtani, for example. A slump just hit after visiting the White House. But what’s the connection?

Well, the Dodgers fans are taking the Donald Trump baseball curse seriously now.

There have been times during Trump’s presidency when MLB teams seemed to either perform worse or face higher-than-usual levels of drama—again, totally subjective. But fans haven’t refrained from latching onto these patterns. The Mets became the focal point of the “Trump Curse” meme in particular. During Trump’s term, the Mets, who were often a competitive team in the late 2010s, went through a lot of struggles, including injuries, front-office changes, and missed opportunities.

Let’s get real here. This entire saga is a fan-driven myth. However, after the series loss to the Cubs, it’s not a myth anymore for the Dodgers Nation. They are now citing the Trump curse for the dwindling figures of Ohtani in the last few games. For instance, his last 3 games against the Cubs finished without a single homer but with 3 SOs. Not a typical Ohtani-like performance. And fans think that it is because he met Trump on April 7, and the Trump curse got him!

Well, seems like baseball cannot get over superstitions.

Now, fans are being vocal about how Ohtani’s performance slump post his White House visit is affecting the team.

Fans are left unimpressed with Ohtani’s slump

Who would have expected that the Cubs would get redemption for their Tokyo Series defeat within the first two weeks of the regular season? The entire blame is now on Ohtani and Trump’s baseball curse for the Dodgers’ downhill performance.

Ohtani indeed has a historical trend of facing a dip in April. Shotime’s performance in April 2024 was a bit of a mixed bag, but he did go through a noticeable dip in his early-season numbers. Back then, Ohtani’s batting average was lower than usual for a few reasons. He hit .230 in the month, a sharp drop from his career average of .270 or higher. However, one fan thinks Ohtani’s last April was still better than this year when he scored 3 homers compared to none this year.

“Two straight series losses since this #TheCurseOfTheFatOrange,” one user commented. Offensive yet highlighted how the team’s performance went down just after their White House visit. Incidentally, the Dodgers visited the White House for their 2024 World Series facilitation, followed by a series of losses. Remember how the Dodgers were promoted as unbeatable before the season? The Phillies, Nationals, and Cubs proved the assumptions wrong. Well, one user transferred the blame to the POTUS and his mythical curse. Just before the Dodgers visited the White House, Ohtani was called out to not visit, which went in vain. So, is Ohtani’s performance slump taking a political dive? Looks like that!

Would you believe that Ohtani has been 1-15 in the last 3 games? A heck lot of gut punches for the founding member of the 2024 50-50 club. However, the figure is true for the Shotime this month. This time last year, he also struck out at a higher rate than normal – 30 strikeouts in his first 20 games. So, should we take this slump as a routine? The fans don’t think so.

What to do if Shohei Ohtani’s downhill figures continue? One fan thinks of getting Freddie Freeman behind. “Ohtani is cooked. Need Freeman – the WS goat who carried them.” While Ohtani touched a few milestones last year, it was Freeman who shined in the 2024 World Series. Shohei Ohtani scored 2 runs from the 5 games last year, while Freeman scored 12 RBIs and 4 homers. Enough to make the fans bet more on Freeman now.

Before this regular season got started, the Dodgers were projected to win a minimum of 130  games, beating the Cubs’ 1906 record of most wins in a season. But now, just 3 weeks into the season, the Dodgers are already down by 6. Probably, high investments and expensive buys don’t always guarantee better on-field results.

However, the Dodgers’ lineup is more than capable of making a turnaround, which might be around the corner. Still, their unbeatable image surely got tainted with or without the assistance of Trump’s curse. Don’t you think?