The incredible two-way talents of Shohei Ohtani were on full display in the Los Angeles Angels’ 3-1 win over the Detroit Tigers on Wednesday night at Comerica Park.
Ohtani threw eight brilliant innings on the mound, allowing six hits and one earned run, while striking out eight batters and walking zero over an efficient 90 pitches. The splitter was especially incredible on the night. He now has a 2.79 ERA over 100 innings pitched this season.
Shohei Ohtani ALSO struck out 8 and lowered his ERA to 2.79. 🔥 pic.twitter.com/b7hbMhwnNb
— MLB (@MLB) August 19, 2021
Oh, and he hit his 40th home run of the season. It was a 430-foot bomb with a 110.1 mph exit velocity in the top of the eighth inning.
4⃣0⃣ FOR SHOHEI OHTANI. pic.twitter.com/pADVlnTLMO
— MLB (@MLB) August 19, 2021
Shohei Ohtani has 20 home runs with a 110+ mph exit velocity this season
NOBODY ELSE HAS MORE THAN 15 pic.twitter.com/BwTEPrzUED
— Sarah Langs (@SlangsOnSports) August 19, 2021
Shohei Ohtani has 40 home runs and 18 steals in the @Angels' 122 games this season.
The only player in MLB history to reach 40 HR and 15 SB in fewer team games was Ken Griffey Jr. in 1998 (117th game).
— OptaSTATS (@OptaSTATS) August 19, 2021
Ridiculous. Ohtani becomes the fastest player in Angels history to hit 40 home runs in a season (and the most in Angels history in one season by a left-handed batter; Troy Glaus is the overall leader with 47 homers in 2000), and he has five more dingers than any other hitter in baseball this season (the Toronto Blue Jays’ Vladimir Guerrero Jr. has 35).
This dude is truly Babe Ruth 2.0 right now, and he’s a near lock to win the AL MVP.
[Photo Credit: Bally Sports West; MLB]
