Dodgers News: Shohei Ohtani Passes Hall of Famer in Franchise Record Book
Shohei Ohtani had a night for the record books in Miami. Not only did he reach the 50-50 threshold but he set a couple of franchise records as well.
With home run No. 50, he surpassed former Los Angeles Dodger Shawn Green’s 49 for the franchise single-season home run record, and with 17 total bases, Ohtani reached 377 total bases on the season. That number passed Baseball Hall of Famer Adrián Beltré who accumulated 376 back in 2004.
Ohtani set a new record for the franchise since it has been in Los Angeles. Entering Sunday, he has 384 which is good second all-time and trails only Babe Herman who had 416 for the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1930.
The first-year Dodger designated hitter has humbly adapted to his new role in Los Angeles. In his press conferences, he plays it off and tries to keep the attention on the team rather than himself.
However, his teammates are incredibly proud of him and his accomplishments.
“I almost cried, to be honest with you,” veteran shortstop Miguel Rojas said. “It was a lot of emotion, because of everything that happens behind the scenes that we get to witness every single day. It’s a pretty cool moment. We all know what he’s capable of doing, but for him to reach that mark — it’s pretty amazing.”
“For him, knowing that he’s right there on the edge of history,” Dodgers third baseman Max Muncy said, “and to somehow stay inside a pitch and hit it on a line to left-center and not try to get too big – you know he’s thinking about hitting a home run, and he hits it 111 mph on a line the other way. It’s just incredible.”
“That has to be the greatest baseball game of all time,” Dodgers second baseman Gavin Lux said. “It has to be. There’s no way. It’s ridiculous. I’ve never seen anybody do that even in little leagues, so it’s crazy that he’s doing that at the highest level.”
Outfielder Teoscar Hernandez implored Ohtani to secure a cycle by hitting the ball to the right-center field gap. Obviously, he didn’t do that.
“He said to hit a triple,” Ohtani, speaking in English, clarified from the neighboring locker.
“Instead he hit it upper deck,” Hernandez said of a ball that ultimately traveled 440 feet at 114 mph. “That’s why we’re not friends anymore.”
Photo Credit: Jonathan Hui-USA TODAY Sports
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