Shohei Ohtani is rewriting the Los Angeles Dodgers record books with another impressive performance on Monday afternoon in Phoenix. The Dodgers secured an 11-6 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks to win the series, with Ohtani stealing three bases.
His three stolen bases surpassed manager Dave Roberts for the most stolen bases in a single season by a Japanese player in franchise history.
Ohtani’s multi-stolen base game started when he walked in the fourth inning. He stole his 44th base during that inning, sliding into second base just ahead of the throw.
In the seventh inning, while the Dodgers were leading 3-1, Ohtani hit a single to right field with one out. With a 1-0 count on Mookie Betts, Ohtani made a successful steal to second base, beating the throw from D-backs catcher Adrian Del Castillo. This tied Roberts with 45 stolen bases on the season, a number the manager achieved in 2002 with the Dodgers.
On the next pitch, Ohtani reached third base without a throw when Jordan Montgomery’s curveball bounced in the dirt, setting a new record for the organization with 46 stolen bases.
With 46 stolen bases and 44 home runs, Ohtani and the Dodgers are gearing up to play a two-game series in Anaheim against the designated hitter’s former team on Tuesday and Wednesday. This will be his first regular-season visit there after playing an exhibition game against the Angels during spring training.
After Monday’s game, Ohtani expressed his sentiments, saying, “For me, it’s a special place. Obviously, I spent a lot of time there compared to other stadiums and being able to play in front of Angels fans means a lot.”
Roberts anticipates some emotions mixed in as Ohtani returns to Angel Stadium, saying, “I’m sure it’s going to be somewhat emotional. But emotions are different for everyone. I’m confident he will handle it well and help us secure a victory.”
Photo Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports
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