Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani checked off another impressive career accomplishment on Saturday, homering against the St. Louis Cardinals to give him at least one home run against all 30 Major League Baseball franchises. Ohtani is the 19th active player to complete the home-run circuit, according to MLB.com.
Ohtani's home run against the Cardinals came during the top of the fifth inning, when he unloaded on a hanging breaking ball from right-hander Andre Pallante. Take a look:
Shohei Ohtani crushes his 38th home run of the year!
— MLB (@MLB) August 18, 2024
He makes it look so easy. 😮💨 pic.twitter.com/xFZGCvwuNl
"It was an offspeed at the heart of the plate, so it was something I was able to handle," Ohtani told reporters through interpreter Will Ireton. "I do want to improve the other at-bats, just overall quality."
While Ohtani has a home run against every MLB team, it's worth noting that he has 10 or more against seven clubs, including each of his old American League West foes. (The Texas Rangers are his most victimized club, surrendering 21.) Ohtani also has more than 10 home runs against the Chicago White Sox, Detroit Tigers, and Kansas City Royals.
Ohtani, 30, has scuffled as of late, posting an OPS below .700 over the past fortnight. He's had an impressive season otherwise, entering Sunday batting .291/.379/.611 (175 OPS+) with 38 home runs and 37 stolen bases. Ohtani seems all but certain to become the sixth member of the 40-40 club -- and, perhaps, the first member of the 45-45 club.
Here's what our Dayn Perry recently wrote about that possibility:
Ohtani's current pace will put him at 49 home runs and 46 stolen bases for the regular season. That, obviously, would make him the sixth member of the 40-40 club, and it would also make Ohtani the first ever to compile at least 45 homers and 45 steals in a season. It's no stretch to imagine a slight uptick on both fronts that puts 50-50 in play.
Ohtani is in the first year of his 10-year, $700 million pact with the Dodgers. That contract includes an unprecedented amount of deferrals, meaning its actual value is significantly lower than the $700 million figure indicates.
