Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani Hits Home Run Against St. Louis Cardinals, Completing Home Run Circuit
Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani achieved another remarkable career milestone on Saturday by hitting a home run against the St. Louis Cardinals. This accomplishment means he has now hit at least one home run against all 30 Major League Baseball franchises, making him the 19th active player to complete this feat.
Ohtani’s home run against the Cardinals came in the top of the fifth inning when he connected with a hanging breaking ball from right-hander Andre Pallante. Ohtani expressed his thoughts on the pitch, saying, “It was an offspeed at the heart of the plate, so it was something I was able to handle. I do want to improve the other at-bats, just overall quality.”
While Ohtani has hit a home run against every MLB team, he has hit 10 or more against seven clubs, including his former American League West rivals. The Texas Rangers have been the most victimized club, giving up 21 home runs to Ohtani. He has also hit more than 10 home runs against the Chicago White Sox, Detroit Tigers, and Kansas City Royals.
Ohtani’s Impressive Season Stats
Ohtani, 30, has had some recent struggles, with an OPS below .700 over the past two weeks. However, he has had a standout season overall, boasting a batting average of .291, an on-base percentage of .379, and a slugging percentage of .611 (175 OPS+). He has hit 38 home runs and stolen 37 bases, putting him on track to potentially join the exclusive 40-40 club and even become the first player to achieve a 45-45 season.
Ohtani’s current pace projects him to finish the regular season with 49 home runs and 46 stolen bases. This would make him the sixth member of the 40-40 club and the first player ever to reach at least 45 home runs and 45 stolen bases in a single season. There’s a possibility he could even reach the 50-50 mark.
Ohtani is currently in the first year of his 10-year, $700 million contract with the Dodgers. This deal includes a significant amount of deferrals, resulting in the actual value being lower than the reported $700 million figure.
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