LOS ANGELES — Shohei Ohtani hit a solo house run within the first inning Friday in opposition to the Padres. The a hundred and seventy fifth profession house run within the majors tied former Yankees nice Hideki Matsui for essentially the most in MLB historical past by a Japanese-born participant.
The house run for Ohtani was hit by right-hander Michael King.
Ohtani, who led the American League with 44 house runs in 2023 and in addition had a 46-homer yr in 2021 with the Angels, has 175 main league house runs in 717 video games and a pair of,940 plate appearances. Matsui performed 10 years within the majors with the Yankees, Angels, A's and Rays, and hit 175 house runs in 1,236 video games and 5,066 plate appearances from 2003-12.
“I'm very honored to be part of this,” Ohtani mentioned, translated by Will Ireton.
However the house run wasn't the one offense for Ohtani on Friday. He additionally doubled within the fifth and seventh innings, the previous giving Ohtani 1,000 hits between Japan and the majors.
Friday was Ohtani's second sport with three extra-base hits this week, additionally approaching Monday in opposition to the Twins in Minnesota. His 10 doubles lead the majors lead the majors. To place it into perspective, Freddie Freeman throughout his 59-double season final yr hit his tenth double within the crew's thirty third sport, though Freeman had two overlapping streaks. throughout the season with 11 doubles in 16 video games.
Ohtani additionally leads MLB this yr with 15 extra-base hits, that are essentially the most of any Dodger by means of the primary 16 video games of a season.
Beginning together with his first house run with the Dodgers on April 3 – Ambar Roman, who hit that house run, he was back at Dodger Stadium on Friday to meet Ohtani – Ohtani has an eight-game hitting streak with 12 extra-base hits. That features 9 extra-base hits in his final 21 plate appearances, courting again to Sunday in Chicago.
“He's performed nice baseball. He's obtained that look in his eye like he desires to be on the plate,” supervisor Dave Roberts mentioned. “He simply takes actually good swings, and hits all the pieces exhausting. I simply marvel at what he's performed.”
With 4 house runs as a Dodger, Ohtani additionally tied pitcher Hideo Nomo for the second most house runs with the Dodgers by a participant born in Japan. Ohtani is three house runs behind the franchise chief – Roberts.
“I nonetheless have a few days earlier than my report is damaged,” mentioned Roberts.
