Shohei Ohtani had his home run streak snapped in the opener between the Los Angeles Dodgers and Boston Red Sox, which resulted in settling for tying a franchise record.
Ohtani’s streak of consecutive games with a home run ended at six. That’s tied with Max Muncy (2019), Joc Pederson (2015), Adrián González (2014-2015), Matt Kemp (2010), Shawn Green (2001) and Roy Campanella (1950) for the Dodgers franchise record of most games in a row with a homer.
Ohtani’s power display began on July 19, the Dodgers’ second game out of the All-Star break. It unfortunately came in a loss to the Milwaukee Brewers, and that was also the case when Ohtani extended his streak the next day.
His third game with a home run coincided with a sixth pitching start this season, and the Dodgers snapped their losing streak by defeating the Minnesota Twins. Ohtani’s two-run blast in the bottom of the first inning came shortly after giving up his first home run as a Dodgers pitcher.
He hit a two-run homer in the ninth inning of a loss on Tuesday night, which made Ohtani the first Japanese-born player in MLB history to hit a home run in four consecutive games. Ohtani then needed just one at-bat on Wednesday to extend that record and tie the Dodgers all-time mark.
He entered play in Boston on pace to hit 58 home runs this season. Ohtani’s 37 homers this season are most in the National League and tied for second overall.
Ohtani set a career high with 54 homers last year as part of becoming the first player in MLB history to have a 50-50 season.
“I’m sure where he’s at right now, hitting 50 homers is probably on his radar,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “But I really do believe he’s just trying to help us win games.
“Like I said a few days ago, he’s just trying to will us to win, and he’s doing whatever he can to help us win. The fallout is certainly production, but I think 50 homers is on his radar.”
Shohei Ohtani approached MLB record
Another achievement that seemingly was within reach for Ohtani was tying the MLB record for most games in a row with at least one home run.
That still is shared by Dale Long (1956), Don Mattingly (1987) and Ken Griffey Jr. (1993), who each had a streak of eight consecutive games with a home run.
Although difficult, it wasn’t a possibility that Roberts went into the weekend ruling out.
“I don’t know that answer,” he began. “I do know that if he has the same approach that he’s had the last week, that Green Monster is very short. So any fly ball that he hits will be a homer. He’s just got to continue to have that same approach when we go to Boston, and we’ll see what happens.”
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