For the first time since 2019, the Dodgers had the Blue Jays on the ropes, staring down the possibility of a clean sweep. Sunday’s series finale at Dodger Stadium carried the weight of history. And with Shohei Ohtani in the lineup, the script practically wrote itself. He had been playing like a man possessed in August. Nine games in, he had yet to go hitless, piling up a blistering 16-for-35 (.457) line, launching 3 HRs, driving in four, and swiping four bases. So, the crowd arrived expecting another show, another decisive push toward victory from their two-way superstar. But baseball, as it so often does, had other plans.
Ohtani did deliver a home run, enough to keep his hitting streak alive. Yet it wasn’t the bat that defined his day. Instead, it was the rarest of sights that stole the spotlight: the sport’s most disciplined and dynamic player making mistakes. By the time the dust settled, the sweep had slipped away, and so had the air of invincibility around Ohtani’s August run. Even Dave Roberts, normally the first to shield his Japanese phenom from criticism, acknowledged what everyone had seen.
“That was his decision, not a good baseball play,” the skipper said when asked about Ohtani’s baserunning error in the sixth inning.
MLB, Baseball Herren, USA Los Angeles Angels at Los Angeles Dodgers Jun 21, 2024 Los Angeles, California, USA Los Angeles Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani 17 laughs as he talks with Los Angeles Angels players in the dugout during a pitching change in the third inning at Dodger Stadium. Los Angeles Dodger Stadium California USA, EDITORIAL USE ONLY PUBLICATIONxINxGERxSUIxAUTxONLY Copyright: xJaynexKamin-Onceax 20240621_jko_aj4_029
For the unversed, Ohtani picked up a hit in his fourth at-bat in the sixth inning with the Dodgers up 3-2. He battled through six pitches against right-hander Seranthony Dominguez, before lining up a 97.2 mph fastball into shallow center for a single. While Ohtani swiped second base without a hitch, the dynamic shifted as the Blue Jays brought in left-handed pitcher Brandon Little to pitch to Freddie Freeman with two outs.
And that’s when things went sideways. Ohtani tried to steal third, which is almost always a questionable move, especially with a lefty batting. The result? The play ended the inning and stalled the Dodgers’ momentum. But wait, there’s more…
Notably, in the bottom of the second, with one out and a runner on second, Ohtani went down on four pitches. Then in the fourth, with the Dodgers up 3-1, he chased a 100.3 mph fastball from rookie right-hander Lewis Burland and struck out again. However, his toughest moment came in the ninth. Bases were loaded with one out, and he had a chance to change the game. Yet Ohtani swung through an 83 mph sweeper from rookie lefty Mason Fluherty, ending the rally and sealing the loss. So, it was one of those rare days when Ohtani faltered and Roberts failed to defend him.
Despite the falter against the Blue Jays, Ohtani still achieved a historical feat.
Shohei Ohtani is still going hot
With his 41st homer of the year, Shohei Ohtani has etched his name in yet another slice of Dodgers history. No one in franchise history has ever hit more home runs in the first 118 games of a season. Ohtani broke the 70-year-old record of Duke Snider, who hit 38 in 1955.
To put that in perspective, last season, Ohtani had delivered a jaw-dropping performance with 54 home runs and 59 stolen bases, making him the first player in Major League history to join the exclusive 50–50 club. Remarkably, even while pulling double duty as a starting pitcher this season, Ohtani’s home run pace has actually accelerated.
This also marks Ohtani’s fourth career 40-homer season, following totals of 46 in 2021, 44 in 2023, and 54 last year. Currently, he’s the only player in the majors to have hit 40 in each of the past three seasons. So, for Dodgers manager Dave Roberts, having a player who can anchor the lineup and the rotation is about as close to a cheat code as it gets. One odd game here and there doesn’t change that.
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