Shohei Ohtani slugged his 45th home run of the season on Friday, September 6. It was a 413-foot (126-meter) blast to center field off Cleveland Guardians starter Matthew Boyd in the sixth inning.
Ohtani is now one homer shy of matching his career-high total, which he had in 2021 for his former team, the Los Angeles Angels.
In his first season with the Los Angeles Dodgers, Ohtani is the National League leader in homers and is second in the NL in RBIs (100), one behind Milwaukee Brewers shortstop Willy Adames through Saturday.
Generating headlines from coast to coast in the United States and around the clock in Japan, Ohtani remains on pace to become the first player in MLB history to have 50 homers and 50 stolen bases in the same season.
In addition to his 45 homers, Ohtani has 46 stolen bases, increasing that total with a three-steal effort on September 2 against the Arizona Diamondbacks.
After the Dodgers' 7-2 win over the Guardians on Saturday, they had 20 regular-season games remaining. Ohtani was 0-for-4 in the win, and he's now on pace to finish with 51 homers and 52 steals.
In Awe of Shohei Ohtani
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts is in charge of filling out the team's lineup card before each game. Another big part of his job is evaluating the individual performances of his players.
While watching two-time MVP Ohtani play day after day, Roberts marvels at the superstar's accomplishments in his first season with the Dodgers, including his pursuit of 50 homers and 50 stolen bases.
"There is a reason why it's never been done. I guess if you are looking at [his] skill set, then if there's anyone that can do it, it's Shohei," Roberts told MLB Network. "The stolen bases are meaningful bags, then the home runs, they have impacted wins for us. It is just such a remarkable season, so storybook. You know when you think he can't rewrite the script or rise to a certain expectation at any moment, he does."
Perspective from Shohei Ohtani
Speaking to reporters after getting three steals against the Diamondbacks on September 2, Ohtani said he believes he has a good shot at becoming the first member of MLB's 50-50 club (only six players have had 40-40 seasons).
"I don't know how many games I have left, but if I can play as many games as possible in a healthy condition, I think I have a chance," Ohtani was quoted as saying by NHK.
After the Angels failed to qualify for the playoffs in all six of Ohtani's seasons with the team, he is energized by the NL West-leading Dodgers' quest to finish the season strong and their quest for a World Series title.
"It is special because I have never played before [for a title contender]," Ohtani said, according to the Japanese public broadcaster. "And it is also a new experience for me to play against a team competing for first place in the same division at this time of year, so there are many tense games.
"I feel like I am more focused on the game in front of me personally as well as the team."
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Yamamoto to Make 1st Start for Dodgers Since June
After being sidelined for about three months of the MLB season, Yoshinobu Yamamoto will return to the mound for the Dodgers on Tuesday, September 10, Roberts has announced.
The Dodgers skipper informed reporters on September 4 that Yamamoto is scheduled to start at home against the Chicago Cubs.
Yamamoto was placed on the injured list on June 16 due to a right triceps injury. He made his second rehab start for the Pacific Coast League's Oklahoma City Baseball Club (the Dodgers' Triple-A affiliate) on September 3, a 53-pitch, two-inning stint.
Roberts said he expects the veteran pitcher to be ready to make solid contributions for the Dodgers upon his return.
"I think the stuff (pitches) will be there," Roberts said, according to The Associated Press. "I'm not sure about how the command is going to be, so I think the way we're looking at it is we're going to get four starts from him [before the playoffs], and if we can log four starts and build up volume, we'll be ready to go beyond that."
Soccer
Japan Hammers China in World Cup Qualifier
The final score ― Japan 7, China 0 ― was a clear-cut reminder of the gap that exists between the men's national soccer teams.
In the 2026 FIFA World Cup Asian third-round qualifier in Saitama on Thursday, September 5, the Samurai Blue pounced on China with five goals after halftime to turn a two-goal lead into a rout.
Takumi Minamino led Japan with two goals. Teammates Junya Ito, Wataru Endo, Daizen Maeda, Takefusa Kubo and Kaoru Mitoma also scored.
Endo made it 1-0 on a header in the 12th minute, with Kubo setting up his teammate with a well-placed corner kick.
Mitoma doubled the lead with another header in first-half stoppage time.
"We came onto the pitch with positive energy [and] we got the first goal from a set piece," Mitoma said, according to Agence France-Presse. "And then we played our own football and the goals kept coming."
Perspectives from the Managers
Japan manager Hajime Moriyasu said after the win over China that he was focused on looking ahead and wouldn't dwell on the match.
He also commented on Bahrain's 1-0 victory over Australia on Thursday in another qualifier.
"The win in today's match doesn't guarantee that we will qualify or mean anything before the Bahrain game," Moriyasu told reporters at Saitama Stadium. "We should not forget to prepare our best going into the remaining matches.
"[The Australia-Bahrain] result confirms how difficult the first match in these Asian qualifiers can be and we should never feel relaxed. That's how I feel."
Up next: Japan travels to play Bahrain in another World Cup qualifier on Tuesday, September 10 in Riffa, near Manama.
After the match, China coach Branko Ivankovic said his team, which attempted just one shot, was thoroughly outplayed.
"Japan is not only one of Asia's strongest teams but also a world-class team," Ivankovic told reporters.
He added, "It was a tough match, and as a coach, this was the most difficult night for me."
Leading the Way in the J.League
Sanfrecce Hiroshima and FC Machida Zelvia are currently tied for the most points (55) in the 20-team J.League.
With seven consecutive wins, Sanfrecce is the league's hottest team.
Zelvia, meanwhile, have had mixed results of late, including three draws and a defeat in their last five matches.
Next up, eight teams are in action on Sunday, September 8 in a quartet of YBC Levain Cup matches. The J.League resumes play on September 13 and 14.
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Golf
University of Virginia, Nihon University Win International College Tournaments in Shizuoka Prefecture
The University of Virginia women's golf team triumphed in the 13-team Pan Pacific Super League Tournament on Friday, September 6 in Mishima, Shizuoka Prefecture. Five golfers on each team played three rounds on September 4-6, and only the top four players' total scores counted each round.
Virginia secured the title with a 3-over 867. Tokyo International University was the runner-up at 14-over 878, followed by the Korea National Sport University (879), Tohoku Fukushi University (889) and Chubu Gakuin University (898).
Ayumi Homma of Tokyo International had her team's best result in the final round, shooting a 3-under 69.
In the men's Pan Pacific Super League Tournament, also held on the same days, Nihon University clinched the title with a 17-under 271 in the final round. Shoon Kobayashi carded a 6-under 66, Kota Iwai and Masato Sumiuchi shot 68s and Naoya Hayashida carded a 69 as Nihon University finished with an 18-under 846.
Waseda University placed second at 14-over 878, followed by the University of Hawaii (901), Chuo Gakuin University (907) and Tokai University Kyushu (923) in the 15-team event.
Nihon University held an 11-stroke lead entering the final round.
Kobayashi had the best individual tournament, carding an 8-under 208.
After the second round, the ambitious freshman shared his goals for the remainder of the tournament. "I want to win the team competition by a landslide," he was quoted as saying by Sports Nippon. "The individual competition will be tough, but I will do my best to get to the top."
University golf teams from Japan, the United States, South Korea, Taiwan and China participated in the two tournaments.
Basketball
Tominaga Has a Solid Pro Debut in NBA G League Fall Invitational
Keisei Tominaga scored 12 points, including 3-for-5 from 3-point range, for the G League United in the NBA G League Fall Invitational opener on Wednesday, September 4. The G League United defeated Serbian opponent BC Mega MIS 99-81 in Santa Cruz, California.
It was Tominaga's professional debut. He's making preparations for the preseason after signing a contract in early July with the NBA's Indiana Pacers.
In an interview with NBC Sports Bay Area's Dalton Johnson after the game, the former University of Nebraska standout confirmed that he'd spent time this summer working on his ball handling (and footwork connected to it). This has produced a more effective jab step for the high-energy player, Johnson observed in his feature on Tominaga.
"I worked on it a lot, especially my right-handed stuff," Tominaga told NBC Sports Bay Area after the game.
Added Tominaga, who had a nifty reverse layup in the second quarter, "So it was good it paid off like that."
On Friday, the G League United topped BC Mega MIS 99-66. Tominaga had five points in the rematch.
Tominaga and the G League United now shift their attention to preparing for the FIBA Intercontinental Cup, which will be held September 12-15 in Singapore.
Kawamura Signs with the Pacers
Yuki Kawamura, Tominaga's Japan national team backcourt mate, officially signed a contract with the NBA's Memphis Grizzlies on Friday, September 6. It was previously announced that the 23-year-old guard had agreed to an Exhibit 10 contract.
This arrangement (a one-year, non-guaranteed deal) gives the former Yokohama B-Corsairs star a chance to attend preseason training camp and compete for a spot on the team's roster for the regular season for the Grizzlies' G League club, the Memphis Hustle.
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Boxing
Astute Observations on 'Monster' Inoue's Latest Win
In the aftermath of undisputed super bantamweight world champion Naoya Inoue's seventh-round technical knockout victory over TJ Doheny on Tuesday, September 3 at Ariake Arena, a number of fight recaps and columns captured my attention.
Here are a couple of noteworthy ones.
In his latest "Throwing Punches" column, Nick Giongco of the Daily Tribune, a newspaper in the Philippines, effectively captured what Inoue accomplished in words.
"While it took him several rounds to take out TJ Doheny, Inoue still got the job done with full force," wrote Giongco.
"Fighting from a distance and occasionally throwing crisp combos, Doheny simply stood no chance against the rampaging undisputed world super-bantamweight titlist.
"Inoue was just too strong and too good for the 37-year-old Irishman, who was stopped after injuring his back."
Veteran American boxing columnist Norm Frauenheim, writing for The Boxing Hour website, delivered a sharp analysis of what lies ahead for Inoue.
"Naoya Inoue, tireless and talented, emerges from a victory that was mostly predictable, yet still notable for what it means to a brilliant career moving into another chapter," Frauenheim wrote. "An even bigger stage."
A return to Las Vegas to fight in 2025 is quite significant for Inoue, Frauenheim noted, pointing out that he hasn't fought in the United States since June 2021.
"The Inoue expected to fight in Vegas in April will be a lot better-known to US fans than the one who fought there years ago," Frauenheim wrote. "This time, it's a step to make Inoue a worldwide celebrity and a fighter in a small weight class with a skill set dynamic enough to keep him at the top of the pound-for-pound debate for a while."
A Welcome Break from Boxing
In a press conference held on Wednesday at Ohashi Boxing Gym in Yokohama, Inoue revealed his immediate plans and also said he's "excited" to fight again in December. And if he does, it will mark the first time he's had three fights in the same year since 2017.
"I love boxing, so I'm looking forward to fighting in this span of time," he said, according to The Sankei Shimbun.
"I'm taking two weeks off," Inoue (28-0, 25 knockouts) then announced.
That elicited a humorous response from his father/trainer Shingo Inoue, who was right beside him.
The elder Inoue said, "Two days, right?"
Laughter ensued.
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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.
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