As for Ohtani’s Angels, they entered this one with a 12-5 record for the month of June, which has helped them back over the .500 mark at a time when they’re still without superstar center fielder Mike Trout (calf). Suffice it to say, seeing this Angels contend down the stretch with Ohtani and Trout in the lineup (or on the mound in Ohtani’s case) would make for compelling color television. Whatever the case, we’ll at least get to see Ohtani take his mighty hacks in the 2021 Home Run Derby.
WATCH: Shohei Ohtani has hit 6 home runs in his last 6 games. leads MLB. Will Join Home run derby at All-Star game
WATCH: Angels’ Shohei Ohtani homers for sixth time in last six games, now tied for MLB lead
It’s also a career high in homers for the two-way star
By Dayn Perry
Getty Images
Los Angeles Angels two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani was in the lineup at DH against the Tigers on Sunday (DET-LAA GameTracker), and in the fifth inning he did this:
That’s 414 feet and a 103.5 mph at the expense of a Casey Mize slider. Ohtani has now homered in three straight games, and he has six homers in his last six games. As well, he’s now tied with Vladimir Guerrero Jr. of the Blue Jays for major league lead with 23 homers. On top of all that, what you saw above was also Ohtani’s 70th career home run in MLB. That puts him in elite company when it comes to those rare sorts who thrive on the mound and at the plate:
On that dual subject, Ohtani this season is now batting .273/.356/.651 in 270 plate appearances, and on the mound he boasts an ERA of 2.70 in 10 starts with 73 strikeouts in 53 1/3 innings. Combined he’d been worth 4.5 WAR in 2021 coming into Sunday, and we’re not even to the halfway mark. Bonus points, of course, for providing all that two-way value from a single roster spot. Throw in Ohtani’s star appeal, and you can perhaps consider him a very deserving frontrunner for AL MVP honors.
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