The Los Angeles Dodgers didn’t play properly on Tuesday evening in a 4-2 loss to the San Diego Padres however designated hitter Shohei Ohtani set one other file.
Together with his leadoff ground-rule double within the backside of the primary inning, Ohtani turned the franchise chief for extra-base hits in a single season. Babe Herman beforehand was the file holder, with 94 in 1930.
Ohtani has been having fun with his first season as a Dodger. Enjoying in entrance of sellout crowds day in and time out has been “refreshing.”
“The ambiance right here at Dodger Stadium — it’s clearly a historic stadium. And the ambiance right here, it’s totally different. It feels recent,” Ohtani says. “It’s simply form of a unique degree. So it’s a refreshing feeling once I do go on the market and play right here.”
Ohtani has raised the bar for gamers who’re or wish to be a Dodger and expectations for this yr’s staff couldn’t be any larger regardless of the quite a few accidents.
Ohtani turned the primary Dodgers participant to file a 40/40 season — 40 residence runs, 40 stolen bases — and stored going from there. On Sept. 19 in Miami, he delivered a historic efficiency, going 6-for-6 with three residence runs, two stolen bases, and 10 RBIs. This unbelievable sport pushed him to 50 residence runs and 50 steals, making him the primary participant in MLB historical past to realize a 50/50 season. He additionally broke Shawn Inexperienced’s Dodgers file of 49 residence runs, set in 2001.
“I believe we’ve stated the whole lot we will since he’s been by this league about what an incredible participant he’s,” says eight-time All-Star Freddie Freeman. “However whenever you come right here you simply by no means know the way the primary yr goes to go on any staff. Typically you simply received to step again and simply respect a participant like this.”
Ohtani set new single-season data for residence runs and extra-base hits with the Dodgers and is poised to be a high contender for the Nationwide League MVP award, only one season after incomes the identical honor within the American League.
The 2-way star hit two of the 5 longest residence runs in MLB this season, with blasts measuring 473 ft and 476 ft, the latter approaching June 18 in Colorado, clearing the center-field pine timber.
He additionally set a Dodgers Statcast-era file with a 119.2-mph single in Toronto on April 27. In truth, Ohtani now holds the highest 9 hardest-hit balls by a Dodger through the Statcast Period and 14 of the highest 15.
“That is my job. It’s my occupation. So, I’ve to form of hit the ball arduous,” Ohtani says. “However on the identical time, there’s no explaining (the sensation) whenever you do come up with one and also you barrel one up and hit it deep. If something, if I’m serving to the staff win and once I’m rounding the bases and the followers are going loopy, that’s clearly all included in that feeling of any residence run. So it feels nice.”
Ohtani has 5 extra video games to seize ahold of that feeling earlier than the playoffs start. That will probably be one other new expertise for him and Dodger Stadium within the postseason will probably be louder than what he has witnessed all yr.
Photograph Credit score: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports activities
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