Shohei Ohtani hit another home run on Friday but it was not enough for the Los Angeles Dodgers as they lost to the Los Angeles Angels in extra innings.
The Freeway Series opener represented Ohtani’s first official time playing against the Angels. Although a notable game, Ohtani largely downplayed the matchup and said he anticipated feeling strong emotions when the Dodgers play at Angel Stadium in September.
Ohtani finished 2-for-2 with the two-run home run and two walks against his former team. He essentially was the only productive player in the Dodgers lineup as they suffered a 3-2 loss in 10 innings.
In fact, Ohtani’s stats so vastly outweighed his teammates that he made MLB history over the last 25 years in that category:
Shohei Ohtani is the only MLB player in the last 25 years to have multiple hits, multiple walks and multiple RBI in a game while the rest of his team didn't draw a single walk or drive in a single run.
— OptaSTATS (@OptaSTATS) June 22, 2024
The Dodgers got five hits on the night, two from Ohtani and one each from Miguel Vargas, Chris Taylor and Austin Barnes. But nobody else drew a walk or hit in a run. The rest of the Dodgers struck out a combined eight times to Ohtani’s zero.
That lack of production is rare from Ohtani’s Dodgers teammates and is much more reminiscent of his time with the Angels. It occurred so often that a “Tungsten Arm O’Doyle” meme went viral.
Dodgers pitching did their job, as well. The Angels collected only four hits and two walks on the night, with Ryan Yarbrough accounting for both earned runs that the Dodgers allowed.
Shohei Ohtani set home run distance record
Ohtani’s home run against the Angels traveled 455 feet to straightaway center field. Homers of this distance are nothing new to Ohtani, but it is for the Dodgers.
That homer gave Ohtani the record for most at least 440 feet in a single season at Dodger Stadium. It also tied Ohtani with Joc Pederson for the most home runs over 440 feet by a player at Dodger Stadium ever.
He’s accomplished the feat in less than three months as a member of the Dodgers.
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