Shohei Ohtani, the star slugger for the Los Angeles Dodgers, made history by breaking Hideki Matsui’s record for the most home runs hit by a Japanese-born player in Major League Baseball. Ohtani achieved this feat by smashing a two-run homer off Adrian Houser of the New York Mets during the third inning of the Dodgers’ 10-0 victory at Dodger Stadium. This home run marked Ohtani’s 176th in his six-plus seasons in the majors, surpassing Matsui’s record of 175.
Reflecting on his achievement, Ohtani expressed relief at reaching this milestone. He acknowledged Matsui as a source of inspiration, having admired and emulated him while growing up in Japan during Matsui’s prime in MLB. While initially not fully aware of the record, Ohtani gradually began to pay attention to his standing relative to Matsui’s accomplishments as he progressed in his career.
When asked about his aspirations to emulate Matsui’s playoff success, Ohtani humorously shifted focus to his current goal of surpassing manager Dave Roberts’ record for the most homers by a Japanese-born player in a Dodgers uniform. Roberts acknowledged Ohtani’s achievement, highlighting Matsui’s greatness as a player and expressing confidence in Ohtani’s ability to surpass any records set before him.
Ohtani’s record-breaking home run was a remarkable display of power, traveling 423 feet with an exit velocity of 110 mph. Despite not hitting a home run in his previous seven games, Ohtani contributed significantly to the Dodgers’ victory with a 2-for-3 performance, including a single, a walk, and two runs scored. His homer marked his fifth in his first 24 games with the Dodgers, following his signing to a $700 million contract the previous winter after six seasons with the Los Angeles Angels.
Teammates and opponents alike recognized Ohtani’s exceptional talent and predicted that he would continue to set records in the future. Tyler Glasnow, a teammate, expressed confidence that Ohtani would achieve even more milestones during his tenure with the Dodgers. Ohtani’s impact on the game extends beyond his individual achievements, as his electrifying performances captivate fans and inspire admiration across the baseball world.
