It was a day when Japan’s top hitters shined. Notably, Shohei Ohtani of the Los Angeles Dodgers drew attention by hitting home runs in two consecutive games, undeterred by all-time noise.
Ohtani started as the second designated hitter in the “2024 Major League” Chicago Cubs match held at Wrigley Field in Chicago, Illinois on the 6th (Korea time). He recorded two hits (one home run) and two RBIs and two runs in five times at bat, including a home run, but his team lost 7-9.
Otani’s performance on the day was all the more impressive because of the loudest noise he’s made recently. Controversy is surrounding him, including former interpreter Mizuhara Ifei’s gambling and theft, and controversy over his donation of home run balls after moving to the Dodgers. However, Otani overcame all these challenges and hit a home run, displaying robust performance.
Ohtani’s first at-bat was with one out in the top of the first inning. He hit a sinker off Kyle Handrix, the opponent team’s starting pitcher, and doubled to the left field to report a long hit from his first at-bat. Later, Ohtani also hit a home run due to Teoscar Hernandez’s timely hit, and managed to score a point. His second at-bat was Ohtani, who took a break. He took the lead as a batter in the top of the third inning, and grounded out to the first base.
Then came the third at bat. Ohtani hit a cool homerun with no outs and a runner on first base in the top of the fifth inning. He didn’t miss that his changeup was concentrated in the strike zone. He rolled it up as it was and completed with a two-run homerun (the second of the season) over the right fence. The homerun flew 379 feet at the speed of 105.2 miles per hour (about 169.3) at the 32nd angle of launch. It was his second homerun in a row following the last game (against the San Francisco Giants on Sunday). Since then, Ohtani has stepped down to the center field flyer (the first batter in the top of the seventh inning, two outs and second base in the top of the eighth inning) and failed to add a hit. He had to settle for his second consecutive homeruns.
Seiya Suzuki (Cups) of Ohtani’s same age was also on the starting list as the second batter, right field, drawing attention. He did not have a home run shot, but he showed off as hot a hit as Ohtani did to help his team win the game. In the bottom of the second inning when his team was leading 3-2, he hit a two-run double to right field by hitting a four-seam fastball to score a 5-2 run. In addition, with his team leading 8-5, Seiya Suzuki (Cups) hit a sacrifice fly by hitting a slider from relief pitcher Michael Grove, with one out and a runner on third base in the bottom of the sixth inning. His final score was one hit, three RBIs and one four walks from two times at bat, the most RBIs in his team, showing off stellar performance.
Meanwhile, Otani has been suffering from a series of rumors recently. The gambling and theft of former interpreter Mizuhara that erupted last month started. According to multiple U.S. media reports last month, including ESPN, while an investigation was conducted into Matthew Boyer, an illegal gambler living in Orange County, it was confirmed that Otani suffered severe damage. Fortunately, it is known that Mizuhara was not directly involved in the gambling, but some doubt is directed at Otani. While Mizuhara siphoned off 4.5 million dollars from Otani’s account, it is questionable 토토 whether Otani, the person concerned, could be unaware of this. This is currently being investigated by the Major League Secretariat.
Another buzz is related to Ohtani’s recent first homerun with the Dodgers. His first homerun ball went to Dodgers fans Amba Roman and Alexis Valenzuela in the outfield stands. After learning the ball, they wanted to exchange autographed balls with Ohtani on “fair terms.” However, they failed to do so. The Dodgers team was coercive. Roman and Valenzuela told the sports media The Athletic that they felt uncomfortable while collecting the home run balls. “I couldn’t even meet Ohtani. Whenever I visited the baseball stadium, I always want to catch the ball. But I never imagined that I would catch such a monumental ball. But when I met with the security guards, I felt pressure. They were intimidating.”
The couple’s stated coercive attitude was that the club refused to certify the home run ball. “In general, important home run balls are returned after negotiations with the spectator who catches the ball. However, a monumental ball is sometimes owned by the spectator,” the media said. “If the club does not certify it, the value of the ball will inevitably drop. Roman who catches the ball may feel pressured.” Experts say that Ohtani’s first home run ball is worth approximately 100,000 U.S. dollars. However, Roman and the Venezuelan couple exchanged the ball for two autographed hats and one bat. After the news broke out, the Dodgers started to put out the situation by saying that they could discuss the matter with the fan who donated the home run ball later.
Ohtani, who took his first step in the Major League as a member of the Los Angeles Angels in 2018, has never been talked about since he entered the big league, but he has been embroiled in a series of controversies recently. Ohtani has been quiet for a while, with his batting average falling to 0.242 after the opening of the season as if there was an aftermath, but he has been gradually regaining his pace since his first home run.