On Friday night, the Los Angeles Dodgers faced off against the San Diego Padres in a game that saw Shohei Ohtani hit his 175th home run in Major League Baseball. This impressive feat tied him with Hideki Matsui for the most home runs by a Japan-born player.
Ohtani’s homer came in the first inning, as he hit a solo shot off Michael King, sending the ball soaring 403 feet into the center-field stands. This brought the Dodgers closer, with the score now 2-1. Despite this distraction, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts commended Ohtani for staying focused on his baseball performance.
Earlier on Friday, a federal judge in Los Angeles ordered Ohtani’s former interpreter, Ippei Mizuhara, to undergo gambling addiction treatment due to a sports betting case. Mizuhara was accused of stealing $16 million from Ohtani’s bank account to pay off debts. But Ohtani’s hitting streak extended to eight games with this homer. He is a two-time AL MVP who signed a $700 million, 10-year contract with the Dodgers during the offseason.
Matsui, who Ohtani tied for home runs, played 10 seasons in the majors from 2003-12. Another Japanese-born player, Ichiro Suzuki, has hit 117 home runs in his MLB career. Ohtani’s incredible talent and determination continue to make headlines both on and off the field.
