Ohtani’s Blazing Speed Leaves Dodgers Manager in Awe: ‘I Love It’ – A 50-50 Chance of History in the Making
National League Dodgers 11-6 Diamondbacks (September 2, 2024, Phoenix)
On September 2, 2024, Dodgers pitcher Shohei Ohtani started as leadoff hitter and designated hitter in the away game against the Diamondbacks. He hit a single to right field in both his first and fourth at-bats, marking his first multi-hit game in three games. He also stole second base in the fourth inning, and succeeded in stealing second and third base in the seventh inning, tying his personal best with three stolen bases in one game for 46 this season.
Ohtani’s impressive performance brought him closer to becoming the first player in history to hit 50 home runs and 50 stolen bases. The team also won a comfortable victory over the Diamondbacks, who are second in the National League West, winning their four-game series with a record of 3 wins and 1 loss, taking a big step closer to winning the division.
Manager Dave Roberts Praises Ohtani’s Performance
After the game, manager Dave Roberts was pleased with Ohtani’s performance, tying his career high with three stolen bases in a single game, saying, “I love it.” He added, “I like his aggressive mindset. Those stolen bases create situations to score. Mookie got a big hit, but they have to draw the infielders to the base. The pitchers also want to throw to the plate quickly. Pitchers may make mistakes in the zone. It’s a plus for the batter. So he’s fired up for a mission. And I think 50-50 is a very likely number.”
Ohtani’s Basestealing Skills Praised by Manager Roberts
Regarding Ohtani’s lack of interest in stealing bases, Roberts said, “To get to know a player, you need to be with him a lot. That’s how you can tell his baseball IQ. What I’ve seen most about him is that he’s a team player. He wants to win. And against Jordan Montgomery, he messed around and advanced to third base. That shows you that he’s a team player. In baseball, good things happen when you do things like that. If you look at his season, it’s pretty spectacular. Not only is he fast, but when you look at his base running, he gets into the corners quickly and efficiently, and doesn’t make big turns. He makes narrow turns. He’s fast, but he also gets around the bases efficiently.”
Ohtani’s Batting Condition Analyzed by Manager Roberts
Regarding Ohtani’s batting condition, Roberts analyzed, “His strikeouts recently have been on borderline balls below the zone. And he’s not swinging for the fences. He swings compactly after two strikes. He’s been having good at-bats.”
Ohtani’s First At-Bat in the First Inning
In his first at-bat in the first inning, Ohtani faced left-hander Rodriguez. With the count at 2-1, he caught a softly placed sinker on the inside, and his 117.2 mph (about 188.6 km/h) hard hit ball bounced off the right fielder in no time. However, the next batter, Betts, was caught in a double play on a grounder to second base, meaning Ohtani had no chance to steal.
Ohtani’s Third Inning At-Bat
In the third inning, with no outs and a runner on second base, Ohtani was relentlessly attacked on the inside corner, which caused some close calls. He also fouled off the seventh pitch, which seemed to bother him as the ball grazed his right knee, but he pulled in the outside slider on the eighth pitch and advanced to second base. Then, Betts hit a timely single to left field to take the lead, and Freeman, who had returned from a broken middle finger on his right hand, hit a two-run homer, his third home run of the series, to add to the score.
Ohtani’s Fourth Inning At-Bat
With the score at 3-1, it was the fourth inning with two outs and a runner on third. The Diamondbacks bench had prepared left-hander Montgomery, but Rodriguez continued to pitch. However, Ohtani was walked on a straight ball. Then, with runners on first and third, he successfully stole second base. This was his 44th stolen base of the season. With this, his number of stolen bases was tied with his number of home runs, and with 44-44, he was on pace to hit 51 for the year.
Ohtani’s Seventh Inning At-Bat
In his fourth at-bat in the seventh inning, with the score at 3-1, there was one out and no runners on base. Ohtani was a little jammed by the second pitch, an inside sinker from left-hander Montgomery after a ball, but he still managed to hit it to the right side. He then stole second base by stealing Montgomery’s quick motion, and then succeeded in stealing third base, making it his 46th stolen base. This put him on pace to steal 54 bases for the year. Then, after Betts was walked on a declared intentional walk, putting runners on first and third, he induced a sacrifice fly by Freeman, contributing with his feet to the team’s fourth run.