Angels Series Against Dodgers Was Reminder Of What They Lost

Sam Garcia | Jun 25, 2024

Jonathan Hui-USA TODAY Sports

Shohei Ohtani has skyrocketed to superstar status since joining the Angels’ crosstown rivals — and the National League MVP candidate showed no mercy to his former team.

Shohei Ohtani takes his former team deep for the second straight game.

Talk about hospitality! Ohtani is making sure the crowd is nice and loud to welcome his old teammates to his new home 🔥

🎥: @SportsNetLA pic.twitter.com/10tuZrLRfs

— Dodgers Nation (@DodgersNation) June 23, 2024

Friday marked the first day of the two-game Freeway Series between the Angels and the Dodgers. Although the Angels won 3-2 in the 10-inning game, their former star two-way player launched a massive home run over the fence.

Ohtani repeated this on Saturday and took it a few feet further. Hitting his sixth home run in seven games, Ohtani blasted his second home run of the series in the Dodgers' 7-2 series-tying win.

The three-time All-Star's dominant performance at the plate served as a reminder of the major loss the Angels faced this past offseason.

After six seasons with the Angels, the two-way player signed the most lucrative contract in sports history. The Dodgers signed Ohtani on a 10-year deal for $700 million.

Since joining the Dodgers, Ohtani ranks in the top three across the National League in runs (61), hits (97), home runs (23), batting average (.318), slugging percentage (.626), and OPS (1.021). He has also secured the top spot for designated hitters in the latest National League All-Star ballot results, with 832,553 separating him from the second-place spot. 

Ohtani's two homers against the Angels was just a glimpse into his home run hitting tendencies. Back in April, Ohtani broke Hideki Matsui's record of 175 for the most career home runs by a Japanese-born player. Since then, Ohtani has recorded a total of 194 home runs throughout his seven-season career.

Ohtani has continued to make headlines since making the switch from the Angels to the Dodgers, and he won't even take the mound until 2025.