The Los Angeles Dodgers opened the second half of the MLB season with two losses to the Milwaukee Brewers. Whereas the Crew has had their quantity lately, Los Angeles continues to be atop the Nationwide League West. Shohei Ohtani has two dwelling runs within the sequence, bringing his season complete to 34 within the Dodgers’ one centesimal recreation. That put him within the historical past books with Babe Ruth and Aaron Choose, in keeping with USA In the present day’s Bob Nightengale.
“5 gamers in MLB historical past have hit at the least 34 homers of their group’s first 100 video games three or extra occasions of their profession:
Babe Ruth (5 occasions). Mark McGwire (5 occasions). Sammy Sosa (3 occasions). Aaron Choose (3 occasions). And now: Shohei Ohtani (3 occasions),” Nightengale reported.
Ohtani has hit 34 homers in 100 video games in every of the final three seasons, each with the Dodgers and in his last yr with the Angels. He has gained the MVP within the two accomplished seasons, and is on a path to win his third in a row and fourth total. Ohtani has additionally picked up pitching this yr, with a 1.00 ERA in 9 innings pitched.
Ohtani’s dwelling run energy came to visit to the USA with him when he joined the Angels in 2017. Final yr, he invented the 50-homer, 50-steal membership within the one yr he didn’t pitch. The steals will not be as large part of his recreation this yr, however the homers make him a powerful MVP candidate whereas he helps the Dodgers’ bullpen get via a troublesome time with accidents.
The Dodgers have been depressing previously two weeks, particularly in opposition to the Brewers. They have been swept by the Astros, swept in Milwaukee, took two of three from the Giants, and have misplaced the sequence in opposition to Milwaukee once more. Regardless of all of these losses, they’re nonetheless in first place within the NL West.