Shohei Ohtani made history yet again in the MLB record books on Sunday, surpassing Hideki Matsui’s milestone for most home runs by a Japanese-born player.
Ohtani achieved this feat with his 176th career homer during the third inning of the Dodgers’ game against the New York Mets at Dodger Stadium. His 423-foot blast off Mets starter Adrian Houser soared into the right-field stands, giving the Dodgers an early 2-0 lead.
Matsui set the benchmark in his final MLB season in 2012, with few contenders seriously challenging it since. The majority of Japanese players transitioning to the U.S. tend to be pitchers, while hitters often follow the mold of Ichiro Suzuki, focusing on contact rather than power.
Ohtani, however, stands out as an exception. The Los Angeles Dodgers’ standout excels in all facets of the game, with his power particularly remarkable in the MLB landscape. He claimed the American League home run title last season, becoming the first Japanese-born player to achieve this feat.
Ohtani tied Matsui’s record on April 14 and swiftly claimed sole possession just seven days later. Coincidentally, this occurred amid the controversy surrounding Ohtani’s former interpreter, Ippei Mizuhara, who faced allegations of bank fraud.
The scandal involving Mizuhara, accused of stealing millions from Ohtani, overshadowed much of the star’s season. However, Ohtani and the Dodgers aim to move past this distraction and concentrate on baseball, as Mizuhara faces potential imprisonment if found guilty.
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