MLB Notes: Shohei Ohtani Still on Pace to Have a 50-50 Season

With 12 regular-season games remaining on the Los Angeles Dodgers schedule, MLB superstar Shohei Ohtani is on pace to finish with 50 home runs and 51 stolen bases.

If he does, he'll become the first player in MLB history to have a 50-50 season.

Ohtani is homerless in his last four games. He's also gone four straight games without a stolen base.

The fan favorite has a career-high 47 home runs and 48 stolen bases through Monday, September 16. 

Los Angeles opens a three-game road series against the Miami Marlins on Tuesday.

A feared slugger who gives opposing pitchers nightmares, Ohtani has had a quiet month at the plate in September. He's only hit three homers in 54 at-bats. And he's batting .241 in the season's final month.

But the Dodgers (89-61) are in first place in the National League West and Ohtani is an essential part of the team's success this season.

For instance, although he didn't get a hit on Monday, the pride of Oshu, Iwate Prefecture, had two RBIs, both coming on groundouts, in the Dodgers' 9-0 win over the Braves. Atlanta won the first two games of the series, and Los Angeles bounced back by taking the next two.

Ohtani is now batting .288 this season. He leads the NL in home runs and is second in stolen bases.

Yamamoto Helps Dodgers Blank Braves

Hard-throwing right-hander Yoshinobu Yamamoto pitched four scoreless innings for the Dodgers on Monday, making his second start since coming off the injured list.

Yamamoto allowed four hits, walked two and struck out three. He threw 72 pitches, 42 for strikes.

When the former Orix Buffaloes ace left the game after the fourth inning, the Dodgers led 1-0. They turned the game into a rout with a six-run outburst in the seventh inning.

"I was pitching in a pinch the whole time," Yamamoto said after the game, according to NHK. "But I pitched with a firm composure and with an awareness of facing each batter one by one. I wasn't feeling great, but with the help of my defense, I managed to get through the [four innings] without allowing any runs." 

After Yamamoto departed the game, four Dodgers relievers combined to preserve the shutout.

In Yamamoto's September 10 start (his first in the majors since June 15), he made 59 pitches. He was sidelined with a right triceps injury.

"We've tried to take our time with him and make sure he is at full health and build him up the right way," Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said of Yamamoto, according to The Associated Press. "It is a shot in the arm and he knows how valuable he is to our club."

The manager added, "These last two starts, I feel like we have a good foundation and we are almost to the point where we can just let him go."

Imanaga Raises Record to 14-3

Chicago Cubs southpaw Shota Imanaga struck out 11 batters, his highest total in any start during his MLB rookie season, in a 9-2 win over the Oakland Athletics on Monday at Wrigley Field.

In six solid innings, Imanaga allowed two runs on three hits. He issued three walks. 

It was Imanaga's fifth straight win in as many starts, improving his overall record to 14-3.

At the same time, the Cubs, who are chasing a wild-card berth, improved to 77-73.

"The team's win-loss record is more important than mine," Imanaga was quoted as saying by Kyodo News. "I don't care about my numbers too much."

Cubs teammate Seiya Suzuki also contributed to the team's win, going 3-for-5 and scoring a run.

Darvish Improves to 6-3

Also on Monday, San Diego Padres hurler Yu Darvish tossed six innings and didn't allow a run. The Padres topped the visiting Houston Astros 3-1 at Petco Park.

Darvish (6-3) gave up three hits. He walked two batters and fanned three, winning his second consecutive start.

For the Padres, Monday's victory came on the same night they opened their final homestand of the 2024 MLB season.

Boisterous cheers for Darvish punctuated the festive mood at the ballpark.

"I'm super happy," Darvish said through an interpreter, according to MLB.com's game report. "Our clubhouse, I think we're really bonded together nicely, and we get to play in front of these fans. Obviously, the games are more exciting now. So it's just super fun."

The Padres (86-65), who have the best record among the NL's wild-card contenders, are set to wrap up their six-game homestand against the Chicago White Sox on September 22.

Kikuchi Continues to Shine for the Astros

Yusei Kikuchi has made eight starts for the Houston Astros since he was traded to the American League West team in July. The Astros are 8-0 in those games.

Kikuchi, who previously pitched for the Toronto Blue Jays, earned his fifth victory in an Astros uniform on Friday, September 13. He held the Los Angeles Angels to three hits and three runs in seven innings in Houston's 5-3 road win.

The Astros lead the AL West with an 81-69 record. And the Angels, Ohtani's former club, have the worst record in the division (60-90).

Kikuchi has provided a spark for the Astros since he joined the club, showing what he's capable of doing on the pitching mound.

"He's been really good," Houston manager Joe Espada said, according to The Associated Press. 

Espada added, "I'm just glad that he's been receptive and been able to be open about the adjustments we wanted him to make, and pitch usage and stuff like that. But the arm has always been there. It just feels like he's been here for many, many years. I hope he just keeps going."

Motivation to Succeed with the Astros

After being traded to the Astros, Kikuchi said he wanted to prove that the team didn't make a mistake. Astros general manager Dana Brown parted with three MLB prospects to acquire the Japanese left-hander.

"I just wanted to prove to everybody what I'm capable of," he was quoted as saying by The Associated Press.

Kikuchi then said, "I wasn't pitching that well in Toronto just before the deadline, so I was shocked a little bit. But once I got here, I was able to put the past behind me."

RELATED:

• Yoshinobu Yamamoto Makes Impressive Return in 1st MLB Start Since Mid-June
• [JAPAN SPORTS NOTEBOOK] Shohei Ohtani is on Pace to Become MLB's 1st 50-50 Player

Author: Ed Odeven

Find Ed on JAPAN Forward's dedicated website, SportsLook. Follow his [Japan Sports Notebook] on Sundays, [Odds and Evens] during the week, and X (formerly Twitter) ＠ed_odeven.