Neither the fatigue after a complete game nor the soreness in his side after a back-to-back home run could stop him. Ohtani cleared the fence again today (Sept. 29) and is just one step away from 40 home runs, which would set a new American League home run record.
Reporter Bae Yang-jin.
[Reporter]
After hitting a home run in his last at-bat yesterday that caught him on the side as he spun the bat as hard as he could, Ohtani was back at it today, scooping the ball with a cool full swing from the first pitch of his first at-bat.
< Toronto Blue Jays 4:1 Los Angeles Angels│USA Major League Baseball >
The result was a leadoff solo home run that traveled 121 meters.
[Local broadcasters: Ohtani blasts one to right field, his 39th home run in his first career game against Toronto].
In yesterday’s doubleheader in Detroit, “Pitcher Ohtani” threw a 111-pitch complete game shutout in game one, and “Hitter Ohtani” single-handedly led his team to victory in game two with a home run and three RBIs.
He was removed from the game in his final at-bat due to side pain, but continued his three-game homer streak in his first at-bat in the first game of the trip to Toronto.
[Local commentator: I’ve never seen a player do that in my life].
Ohtani added a hit in his third at-bat, giving him a 2-for-4, multi-hit game, but the team lost 4-1.
With his 39th home run in the team’s 104 games this season, Ohtani is on pace for 61 homers on the season.
He can challenge the American League record of 62 homers set last year by Aaron Judge of the New York Yankees.
As a pitcher, Ohtani, who is looking to win 15 games for the second straight year, could also post an unprecedented 60-homer, 15-win season.
When he becomes a free agent after the season, there’s talk of him signing a contract worth a total of $600 million, or $76 billion in Japanese currency.안전놀이터
Led by Ohtani’s two-hit performance, the Angels are 9-4 in 13 games since the All-Star Game, reviving their postseason hopes.
Meanwhile, with Hyun-jin Ryu’s first start back in the majors set for next month against Baltimore, he’ll have to wait until next time to face Ohtani.