However like mother and father sending their child off to school, Dodgers followers should be content material in understanding the largest step within the course of should occur away from house.

The Dodgers start a seven-game highway journey on Friday with 4 video games in Atlanta and three extra in Miami. The chances of Ohtani nonetheless being seeking 50-50 when the crew returns house to face the Colorado Rockies on Sept. 20 are as unlikely as a well-kept dorm room.

Ohtani’s present standing: 47 house runs and 48 stolen bases.

Dodgers supervisor Dave Roberts stated this week that he hoped Ohtani would lock down his 50-50 season over the ultimate homestand of the season. He’s now resigned to that not occurring.

“The best way he is going proper now, in all probability not,” Roberts conceded. “These followers in Miami could be in for a deal with. However we’ll see. Clearly, I hope he does it, no matter the place, however it might be good to be at house.”

There may be at all times the possibility that historical past goes down in Atlanta. Ohtani has hit as many as three house runs in a four-game span on a number of events, the latest on the finish of August. The primary time he did it this yr, the Braves and Marlins had been concerned when he hit 4 house runs in a three-game stretch Could 4-6.

Nonetheless, historical past in South Florida appears the likeliest situation. For any memorabilia prospectors on the market, seats past the fitting subject wall at Miami for all three video games of subsequent week’s collection in opposition to 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 stated Wednesday, not long after Ohtani delivered his most recent home run and stolen base“It is not like he goes on the market and it is too simple for him. He works tougher than anybody. He scouts actually arduous and all that so it is enjoyable to see him go on the market. He is enjoying a unique sport so it is 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 house run Wednesday shot off his bat with a vapor path, it screamed towards the fitting subject seats at 118.1 mph.

“I really feel sorry for the fan who tried to catch it,” Muncy stated.

It is not 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 did not select them in free company, set free an audible gasp.

Ohtani’s hard-hit share this season is 59.6, the best of his profession. His common exit velocity is 95.6 mph, additionally a profession greatest.

“Every day he does one thing and you are like, ‘I’ve by no means seen anyone do this earlier than,’” stated Tommy Edman, one of many latest Dodgers, who has been with the crew for barely a month and has loved each bit. of the Ohtani spectacle.

Edman has even began to hitch within the enjoyable, with a pair of house runs in every of his previous two video games. And but, Edman cannot cover his amazement with what Ohtani is doing.

“The day sport is on Sunday, the ball he hit off the (former Stadium Club) glass in right fieldafter which (Wednesday) that was one of many lowest (launch angle) house runs I feel I’ve ever seen. …He simply crushes the ball. And to do this and steal as many bases as he’s, that is fairly unimaginable.”

Do not 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. during one of his two American League MVP seasons in 2021,

“He isn’t pitching this yr so I feel he’s emptying the tank offensively,” Roberts stated. “I do suppose the facility, the on-base (share), the common, I feel he can do this as a pitcher. He is executed one thing fairly comparable like that along with his OPS. However so far as the stolen bases go, I am unsure about that.”

And even when Ohtani does attain the 50-50 milestone on the highway, he would possibly proceed to placed on a present again house, 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 well known West Coast bias” with award voting. That bias will need to have taken a yr off when the New York Yankees’ Aaron Judge won the AL MVP in 2022 with 28 first-place voteswhereas Ohtani obtained simply two. Ohtani was productive on offense that yr and also finished fourth in AL Cy Young voting,

“That is a primary,” Roberts stated to laughter throughout. “That is not gonna age properly. West Coast bias? Proper.”

Initially Printed: September 12, 2024 at 4:04 pm