LOS ANGELES — The house crowd roars at each Shohei Othani ball hit into the air, regardless of the space. It raises its quantity in anticipation each time Ohtani breaks away on one other stolen base try.
However like dad and mom sending their child off to school, Dodgers followers must be content material in understanding the most important step within the course of must occur away from dwelling.
The Dodgers start a seven-game highway journey on Friday with 4 video games in Atlanta and three extra in Miami. The percentages of Ohtani nonetheless being seeking 50-50 when the crew returns dwelling to face the Colorado Rockies on Sept. 20 are as unlikely as a well-kept dorm room.
Ohtani’s present standing: 47 dwelling runs and 48 stolen bases.
Dodgers supervisor Dave Roberts mentioned this week that he hoped Ohtani would lock down his 50-50 season over the ultimate homestand of the season. He now’s resigned to that not taking place.
“The best way he’s going proper now, most likely not,” Roberts conceded. “These followers in Miami is perhaps in for a deal with. However we’ll see. Clearly, I hope he does it, no matter the place, however it could be good to be at dwelling.”
There may be all the time the possibility that historical past goes down in Atlanta. Ohtani has hit as many as three dwelling runs in a four-game span on a number of events, the newest on the finish of August. The primary time he did it this yr, the Braves and Marlins had been concerned when he hit 4 dwelling runs in a three-game stretch Might 4-6.
Nonetheless, historical past in South Florida appears the likeliest state of affairs. For any memorabilia prospectors on the market, seats past the precise discipline wall at Miami for all three video games of subsequent week’s collection towards the Dodgers had been promoting Thursday for as little as $8 per ticket for a pair.
As he closes in on the primary 50-home run, 50-stolen base season in MLB historical past, Ohtani will proceed his fervent research.
“I see all of the work he places in,” Dodgers catcher Will Smith mentioned Wednesday, not lengthy after Ohtani delivered his most up-to-date dwelling run and stolen base. “It’s not like he goes on the market and it’s too straightforward for him. He works tougher than anyone. He scouts actually arduous and all that so it’s enjoyable to see him go on the market. He’s enjoying a special sport so it’s enjoyable to see.”
As Ohtani has appeared to make 50-50 his mission, he has not solely elevated the frequency with which he steals bases, his success fee has soared. Going again to July 23, Ohtani has been profitable in his final 25 stolen base makes an attempt.
When his dwelling run Wednesday shot off his bat with a vapor path, it screamed towards the precise discipline seats at 118.1 mph.
“I really feel sorry for the fan who tried to catch it,” Muncy mentioned.
It isn’t even Ohtani’s hardest-hit ball this season. He had one at 119.2 mph off the bat on a single in Toronto earlier within the season. Even Blue Jays followers, upset that Ohtani didn’t select them in free company, set free an audible gasp.
Ohtani’s hard-hit proportion this season is 59.6, the very best of his profession. His common exit velocity is 95.6 mph, additionally a profession finest.
“Every day he does one thing and also you’re like, ‘I’ve by no means seen anyone try this earlier than,’” mentioned Tommy Edman, one of many latest Dodgers, who has been with the crew for barely a month and has loved each little bit of the Ohtani spectacle.
Edman has even began to hitch within the enjoyable, with a pair of dwelling runs in every of his previous two video games. And but, Edman can’t conceal his amazement with what Ohtani is doing.
“The day sport on Sunday, the ball he hit off the (former Stadium Membership) glass in proper discipline, after which (Wednesday) that was one of many lowest (launch angle) dwelling runs I feel I’ve ever seen. … He simply crushes the ball. And to try this and steal as many bases as he’s, that’s fairly unbelievable.”
Don’t get used to the stolen bases, Roberts has warned. Ohtani’s willingness to run, with unprecedented frequency, has roots in his offseason elbow surgical procedure. His 48 steals crush his earlier excessive of 26 with the Angels throughout one among his two American League MVP seasons in 2021.
“He’s not pitching this yr so I feel he’s emptying the tank offensively,” Roberts mentioned. “I do assume the ability, the on-base (proportion), the common, I feel he can try this as a pitcher. He’s carried out one thing fairly comparable like that along with his OPS. However so far as the stolen bases go, I’m unsure about that.”
And even when Ohtani does attain the 50-50 milestone on the highway, he may proceed to placed on a present again dwelling, even when the Dodgers wrap up a playoff spot or a Nationwide League West title with video games to spare.
Seemingly the favourite to earn NL MVP honors, whilst a chosen hitter, a media member out of New York has taken to stumping for the New York Mets’ Francisco Lindor, who’s having a high-quality season in his personal proper.
There has even been a declare from the East Coast of “a widely known West Coast bias” with award voting. That bias will need to have taken a yr off when the New York Yankees’ Aaron Decide received the AL MVP in 2022 with 28 first-place votes, whereas Ohtani acquired simply two. Ohtani was productive on offense that yr and likewise completed fourth in AL Cy Younger voting.
“That’s a primary,” Roberts mentioned to laughter throughout. “That’s not gonna age nicely. West Coast bias? Proper.”
Initially Revealed: September 12, 2024 at 4:04 p.m.