June 26, 2024; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers design hitter Shohei Ohtani (17) hits a solo home run against the Chicago White Sox during the first inning at Guaranteed Rate Field.
16:56 JST, June 27, 2024
CHICAGO (AP) — Shohei Ohtani currently plays for the Los Angeles Dodgers.
When it comes to the Home Run Derby, stay tuned.
Ohtani hit a leadoff drive for the second straight night against the Chicago White Sox on Wednesday, extending his RBI streak to a franchise-record 10 games. The two-time AL MVP is hitting .310 (27 for 87) with 11 homers, 23 RBIs and 24 runs in 23 games this month.
“Basically my approach is to swing on shots, and just make sure my stance and everything else lines up,” Ohtani said through a translator.
Ohtani’s final tear has him contemplating another attempt in the Derby on July 15 as part of the All-Star festivities at Globe Life Field in Texas. He last competed in 2021 in Denver, when he lost to Juan Soto in a memorable first-round showdown.
Asked by Japanese reporters about the Derby after Los Angeles’ 4-3 win in Chicago on Tuesday night, Ohtani expressed interest in the big event but said he had to speak to the team about the possibility. A day later he repeated his thoughts.
“It hasn’t really changed much since yesterday,” Ohtani said after Wednesday night’s 4-0 win over the White Sox. “It’s something I have to talk to a lot of people about and make a decision.”
Ohtani, who turns 30 on July 5, is in his first season with the Dodgers after agreeing to a 10-year, $700 million contract in December. He won’t pitch this year after undergoing major elbow surgery in September during his final season with the Angels – something that will surely come up in Derby discussions with his new team.
“One side of it, him being in the Home Run Derby, is obviously great for baseball,” manager Dave Roberts said. “The other side of it, on the Dodgers manager side, you’re trying to be more careful and appreciate the fact that there’s a lot more swings, a higher intensity, you know, going through the rehab process with his elbow. .
“But for me personally, it’s just a matter of taking the player as a starting point and supporting Shohei in whatever he chooses.”
Ohtani connected on a full-count fastball from Erick Fedde on Wednesday night, sending the ball soaring over the fence to right-center for his NL-high 25th home run. The 130-meter ride had an exit speed of 180 km/h.
It was Ohtani’s third leadoff home run this season and No. 9 of his career.
Ohtani also walked twice. He scored from first base on Freddie Freeman’s two-run double to right in the third inning.
‘He’s incredible. He’s a freak,” Dodgers catcher Austin Barnes said.
Ohtani had two hits and two RBIs in the Dodgers’ win Tuesday night. He went deep in the first inning against Chris Flexen, then walked and scored in the third. He also hit a tiebreaking RBI single in the fourth.
Ohtani moved to the top spot after Mookie Betts was sidelined by a broken left hand. He became the first player to hit a leadoff homer for the Dodgers in consecutive games since Betts on May 31 and June 2, 2023. He has driven in 17 runs during his RBI streak.
“Shohei is really on the heater right now and is swinging the bat so well,” Roberts said. “You know the leadoff home runs, the back-to-back games with a run batted in, all that kind of stuff. … If they throw it over the plate in his zone, he’s going to hit it hard.”
