Shohei Ohtani Joined Historic Company With Latest Home Run

Shohei Ohtani hit another absolute bomb.

Los Angeles Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani (17) watches his solo home run fly on Aug 31, 2024 at Chase Field in Phoenix. / Owen Ziliak/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK

The Los Angeles Dodgers started their game against the Arizona Diamondbacks with back-to-back-to-back home runs. And they trailed by the time the first inning was over. But they still won.

Shohei Ohtani led off the game with his 44th home run. He was followed by Mookie Betts two pitches later and then Freddie Freeman one pitch after Betts touched home.

Shohei Ohtani - 420 FT
Mookie Betts - 400 FT
Freddie Freeman - 437 FT

The Big Three hit over 1,200 feet worth of homers in the matter of 4 pitches 🤯 pic.twitter.com/wMWlGTlujY

— MLB (@MLB) September 1, 2024

For Ohtani it was his 12th home run of August, which meant he hit the most home runs in the National League in August. He also stole the most bases in the NL in August with nine. This was the first time anyone has lead a league in both stolen bases and home runs since Willie Mays in 1956.

The NL HR leader for August: Shohei Ohtani (12)
The NL SB leader for August: Shohei Ohtani (15)

He's the first MLB player to lead his league outright in both homers and steals in the same month since Willie Mays did it in September 1956 (11 HR, 9 SB). pic.twitter.com/FZbJ40T1Ls

— OptaSTATS (@OptaSTATS) September 1, 2024

Mays finished the season leading baseball with 40 stolen bases. He also hit a modest 36 home runs that year. Ohtani has already surpassed both those numbers and has his sights set on a 50/50 season, which no one has ever done. The only thing keeping him from stealing enough bases is the fact that he hits so many home runs.

---

More of the Latest Around the MLB

feed