Shohei Ohtani Makes History as First Japanese Player with 200 Career Home Runs, Hits 29th of the Season

Shohei Ohtani, the Japanese star of Major League Baseball’s Los Angeles Dodgers, has once again made headlines. In a recent game against the Detroit Tigers, Ohtani hit his 29th home run of the season, solidifying his lead in the National League home run race. More importantly, this home run marked the 200th of his professional career, making him the first Japanese player to reach this milestone. Ohtani now has the opportunity to challenge the record for 30 home runs in the first half of the season before the All-Star break.

In the game, Ohtani tripled in his first at-bat, giving the Dodgers an early lead. However, the Tigers quickly countered, taking a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the second inning. In the top of the fifth inning, Ohtani stepped up to the plate again and launched a solo home run to right field off Tigers’ starting pitcher Monteiro. This home run, his 29th of the season, was also the 200th of his MLB career, surpassing the previous record held by Japanese legend Hideki Matsui, who had 175 home runs.

Despite Ohtani’s home run putting the Dodgers back in the lead, the Tigers hit four home runs during the game. Ultimately, in the bottom of the tenth inning, Urshela’s walk-off two-run homer led to the Tigers’ 11-9 victory over the Dodgers. This game became a memorable milestone in Shohei Ohtani’s career, highlighting his impressive personal achievements despite the less-than-ideal outcome for his team.